That's the one
by Louvampyer
Summary: Angel works on an art project, and get's to know the new boy in school... AU PreRent... I will be keeping it to pretty short chapters at the moment, since it's more fun to write that way.. FINALLY UPDATED
1. Skateboarding

Title: That's the one  
Prompt: 44. Skateboard... loosely  
Pairing: None, just Angel  
Word Count: 799  
Summary: Angel plans out his art project, with a little help from a stranger.  
Rating: G  
Disclaimer: Believe me, if I owned Rent, Angel would never die… That's all Jonathon's fault (love you Jonathon!)

Angel leaned back against the crumbling high school behind him. He would have found it odd that his father was an hour late picking him up, but it was Monday, which meant that his father had just gotten home from business the night before, and he was at home drinking off his trip for the day. He would go back to being a great dad tomorrow. Mondays were always the same, and he didn't really resent it anymore.

Besides, it gave him a chance to sit on the steps of the school and watch the cute punks of the school attempt to learn and perfect their skateboarding tricks. He sat with a sketchbook open on his lap, trying to get a jump start on a huge art project he had due in a week. Draw, paint, or sculpt, whatever medium you wanted, but show your perfect self. Make yourself thinner, longer hair, less pimples, whatever you didn't like about yourself, change it. Angel had to keep going back and changing the skirts he was wearing in the sketches into pants. This project would be a whole lot more fun if he wasn't living in a town where they used to shoot gay people for fun on a Wednesday.

Frustrated with his attempts, he now had four sketches on the same page, and in all of them he was wearing a skirt, he threw his pencil, which ended up hitting another student in the back of the head. Angel gasped as the student turned around and picked up the pencil, smiling at him. Angel gave him an apologetic smile, and the boy stood up with the pencil, snapped his gameboy shut and walked over to Angel, handing him the pencil.

"Here. I think you dropped this." He held it out to Angel, who took it slowly, with another smile.

"Thanks. I didn't mean to hit you, I'm just a bit frustrated with this art project."

"Eleventh grade studio?"

"Ya."

"Ya, I'm in that class too." Before Angel could close his sketch book, the boy took it off her lap.

"Hey!" He reached out to take it back, but the boy kept it out of his reach, looking the page over. "Excuse me."

The boy caught Angel's hand in the air before he could grab the book back, and sat down next to Angel. He pulled his hand back and as he was reaching for his sketch book, the boy pointed to one of the pictures and smiled at Angel, a smile that made him stop in his tracks. "I think this one is best."

Angel's hand dropped in disbelief. He wasn't making fun of her, or stealing her sketch book to make copies and publicly out him? "What?"

"This one." He pointed to the book again, looking over one of the pictures. "I think this one is best, if you were gonna paint that is. If you're planning on sculpting, these dangly things may be difficult to keep straight." He looked back up to her with a smile. "But ya, for painting, I like this one." He held out the sketch book to her again.

Angel took the book, and couldn't help but smile at it. "Thanks." They both looked away when there was a honk from a car in the parking lot. "Ohh, that's my ride." Angel stood up, and the boy stood up beside him, looking from the car and back. "I'm Angel by the way."

"That's a beautiful name." The boy took her hand, palm down, and did a small bow. "My name, although painfully common and humble compared to yours, it Thomas Collins." He quickly kissed the top of Angel's hand and placed it back at his side with another bow. "It certainly was a pleasure meeting to Angel." He stood back up, with a wink, and turned away, walking back up the steps.

Angel could feel himself blushing as he turned to walk down the steps. How had he not met that guy before?

"Hey Angel?"

Angel turned around when he head the boy calling his name from the top of the steps. "Ya?"

"You have third period art?"

Angel nodded and cocked his head to the side curiously. "Ya, why?"

"I just transferred here, and they put me in that class today." Angel couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. "I'll see you in class tomorrow. Can't wait to see how your project comes out!" He waved and turned around again, walking back into the school.

Angel turned back to his fathers car with a smile and slid into the front seat, pulling the belt on. His father turned to him with a questioning eyebrow raised. "Who was that?"

Angel leaned his head back on the seat. "I really have no idea."


	2. Bubblegum Pop

Angel looked up to the clock every four minutes. He wasn't sure if he was looking forward to, or dreading his next class. Elevanth studio art. He normally loved the class, but he still wasn't quite sure if the boy he had met yesterday, Thomas Collins, had been messing with him, or if he was just a really nice, not to mention hot guy.

And there was another thing. If he was just a nice guy, Angel didn't want to accidentally tell him what a hottie he thought he was. That was a great way to get yourself beat up. So even if he actually was okay with the fact that Angel wanted to dress in shirts, that didn't mean he would appricate being hit on by said transvestite, or soon to be at least, when he left highschool and the house.

Angel was pulled out of his thoughts when the bell finally rang. He snapped his bubble gum loudly, a habbit he had for when he was either surprised or concentraiting. He let out a sigh of relief, even though he still wasn't sure he was relieved. He pulled his book bag over his shoulders and scooped up his books before heading over the the arts and music wing of the school.

It was the most fallen in wing of the school, but five very determined art and music teachers had actually fixed it up really nice. There still weren't many students in that area that were interesting in art, so the class was pretty small, only about twelve students, including a few that were only there because they needed the credits to pass high school, and art seemed the easiest.

Angel entered the room and sunk into his normal seat in the corner. Normally, Angel sat alone, since there were enough tables for each student to have their own, even though friends still sat together and all, but Angel didn't have any friends in this class. He didn't have many friends in the entire school actually.

After the teacher instructed them to get started, Angel pulled out his sketch book, which was about half filled with fashion sketches he would never show anybody, and opened to a blank page. He continued to pop his gum as he drew, concentraiting on the little details, a belt loop here, an embroidered flower there. He had just gotten the basic figure drawn, in black pants that looked like the hugged the drawings hips just a bit too tight, and an over sized sweater.

"So you didn't go with the one I picked?"

He must have jumped nearly a foot, and chocked on his gum, when he noticed someone looking over his shoulder. He instinctively closed his sketch book and turned around, smiling when he saw Thomas. "Hey Tom."

"Call me Collins. Only the dull people call me Thomas." He flashed that great smile that Angel had gone home and sketched the night before. "Mind if I sit with you?"

Angel looked from the seat Collins was pointing to, to the three empty tables around him, and returned the smile. "Sure." He didn't know why Collins wanted to sit with him over the empty tables, but he was welcome to it.

Collins slid into a chair beside Angel, rather than across from him and took the sketches from Angel. "Do you mind?" He waited for Angel to nod slowly before opening it and flipping through the pages. "So how come you're not choosing the one I picked out?"

He could feel a fluster rising in his cheeks. "Because people are going to _see_ it."

"So you're hiding?" He didn't say it like he was accusing her, more like he was actually wondering.

"I dunno." He looked Collins over for a moment, quizically. "Why do you care so much."

Collins shrugged. "You just never know how much time you have. It's best to be yourself for what time you have." He looked at her briefly, giving Angel a smile that made him look like he had the answers to everything.

"Ya well, I'm not ready to be myself." He took back his sketch back and opened it back to the page with the pants and oversized sweater. "You obviously don't know much about this town."

"Nope, nothing at all." Collins smirked and lifted his feet onto the table, tilting onto the back of his chair. "You sould show me around sometime."

"What?" Angel wasn't sure where he was going. Part of his tone sounded like he was annoied, antoher part excited, and still another Angel thought sounded like he was asking her out.

"Well, way I see it, I gave you a part of my over flowing wisdom on the subject of self and time. You obviously know things I don't know, so it'll be like a swap of information." With a stern glance from the teacher, Collins dropped back into his chair and set his feet on the floor. "So whadaya say? Show me around?"

Angel cocked his head to the side, looking Collins over, who now had his bottom lip sticking out, pouting to get his way. Angel rolled his eyes jokingly. "Why not?"

"Great! What's your address?"

"Why?"

He laughed shortly. "Can I can meet you of course."

Why couldn't they just meet in town? Or at the school? "Umm…" Angel tore a sheet of paper from his sketch book and wrote his number and address. "Here. Just call me before you come over, and I'll meet you outside."

He just smiled and slipped the paper into his pocket. "Sure thing. You free tonight?"

Angel couldn't help the smile that krept onto his face. "Ya, but not 'til after five, so my mom can be home to watch my sister."

"I'll see you then." The bell rang and Collins stood up to go. How had the time gone by that fast? Angel watched him walk to the door, and once he got there, Angel was almost positive that when he turned around to wave goodbye, he also winked at him.


	3. Going Around

46. Writers choice

"Angel? Why can't we play monopoly?" Clara leaned on the side of Angel's bed as he tied his shoes.

"I told you Clara, I'm showing someone around town today."

"Why don't they know their way around town? It's not too big."

"Well, they're new here, and that's why I'm showing them around."

The six year old pouted. "You don't like playing with me anymore."

Angel smiled and pulled the girl onto his lap. "Ohh you know I love playing monopoly with you!" He tickled her softly, causing her to squirm. "Who else would let me be the dog every time?" He picked her up and set her back on her feet, tousling her hair a bit. "Now come on. Mama's gonna be home soon and if I don't have you fed she'll throw a fit."

Clara started out of Angels room. "She'll throw a fit at you anyways."

Angel sighed, finding it odd that his six year old sister already knew how it all worked. His mother would come home, yell at Angel for something or other, forgetting to do the dishes, or putting them away in the wrong places if he did wash them. Then she would dote over her little girl for a few minutes before making dinner, having Angel clean up, and then going to her office to work until the next morning.

Angel had always envied his little sister for getting all the love, but he cared too much about his sister to ever take that out on her. And anyways, Angel and his father were pretty close, so it's not like he was incredibly deprived or anything.

He followed his sister into the kitchen and opened the fridge. "What are you in the mood for?"

"Pudding! Chocolate." She slid up onto a stool and smiled after him expectantly.

"I don't think chocolate pudding counts as dinner." Even so, he pulled out a bowl of pudding and set it on the counter, pulling two spoons and handing her one as they both dug in.

She spoke through a mouth full of pudding. "We'll worry about that after we play monopoly."

Angel let out a heavy sigh. "I tell you what, we put this away, and I make you some real dinner, and I promise that I'll play monopoly with you after I get home, okay?"

Clara gave him a searching glare that he found very grown up for a six year old, and put her spoon down. "Agreed."

"Okay, what do you want?" Angel moved back to the fridge to put away the pudding.

"Ham and jelly sandwich." Now, where most would find this odd, Angel already knew that it was her favorite, and she only got it when their mother wasn't home, so he just pulled out the ham.

"What kind of jelly?"

"How about we try peach this time?"

Angel laughed shortly and took out the jelly, setting it all on the counter. After making the sandwich and refusing a bite of it from Clara, he sat with her, waiting for her to finish eating before washing up the dishes.

"Okay, mama's gonna be home in a few minutes, so look child like." Clara always had a way of being much more grown up when it was just the two of them, or just them and their father, but when their mother came home, she seemed closer to her age.

She just nodded and skipped in the direction of her dolls. "You sure you don't want to play?" She held up a doll to him.

"Later, I promise."

Their mother walked in just as Clara went back to her dolls. "Hey mama!" She jumped up to give her mother a hug, which she returned whole heartedly.

"Hey baby! How was your day?"

"Angel and I are playing monopoly later!"

"Ohh that sounds like fun. Don't you usually play while I'm a work?" She looked up to Angel raising an eyebrow.

"I'm showing a new guy around town for a little while today. I won't be long."

She stood back up and Clara went back to her dolls. "Did you do all your homework?"

"Yes."

"And the dishes?"

Angel nodded.

"Well then I guess you can go for a few hours. You best be home early though. I have to go food shopping and you need to stay with Clara."

The little girl looked up with a pout. "I wanna go food shopping!" Clara always got chocolate when they went food shopping together.

"We'll see. If you're good."

The phone rang and Angel jumped to answer it as his mother went into her office. "Hello?"

"Hello, is Angel there?"

"This is he."

"Hey! It's Collins. You ready?"

Angel nodded and then realized Collins couldn't see him. "Yeah."

"Okay good, cause I'm outside."

Angel pulled back the curtain to the front door and there was Collins. He hung up the phone and grabbed his jacket before joining Collins on the porch. "Where did you get a wireless phone?"

"Ohh it was my dads, and when he got a new on, I rewired his old one. It's totally free!"

Angel couldn't help but laugh a bit at how enthusiastic Collins face looked as he said that. "That's great." He waved his arm out in front of him. "Shall we?"

Collins bowed and held out his arm in the same direction. "After you."

Angel walked off the porch with a smile, Collins following after. "So with is it you actually want to see?"

"Umm, where can we get pizza?"

"The pizzeria." Angel gave him a look that was half amused, half quizzical. "But I thought you wanted me to show you around? You're not gonna be able to see anything sitting in a pizzeria."

"I can see you." Angel blushed and looked to the ground, but Collins laughed, leaving Angel to wonder if it was the comment or the reaction that he found funny, and touched Angel's shoulder softly. "S'ok, we can each get a slice to go, and you can show me around while we eat."

"I didn't know we were eating. I didn't bring any money." Angel shrugged his shoulders.

Collins just smiled, looking ahead down the street. "I had already planned on treating."

Angel blushed again as the entered main street, where the very few stores, restaurants, and teen hangouts were.


	4. Storm

AN: Again, really short chapters, but I'll try to get one up every day…

Angel and Collins were in the pizzeria, had each ordered a slice of pizza, and were sitting at the counter as they waited. Angel sipped on his cream soda and Collins was just looking at. He lowered the bottle hesitantly. "What?"

"Nothing, just enjoying the view." Without looking to the window, Collins raised a finger and pointed over his shoulder to the 'view', which happened to be a children's clothing store.

Angel rose and eyebrow. "Okay… So tell me, where did you live before you came here?"

"Santa Fe."

"Wow, that's… far. What brings you here?"

"Well my family's still out there. I just had a big fight with my dad about some stuff and he sent me to live with my grandma." His face fell just a bit before flying back into a huge smile. "But the area's amazing! You should see it sometime."

Angel was curious about the fight, but Collins seemed to have quickly changed the subject, so Angel wasn't going to bring it up. "Maybe someday." He looked away when the waiter set down two slices of pizza in front of them on paper plates. "Thanks." They had already paid so the two each grabbed their slice, their sodas, and left the pizzeria.

"So…" Collins folded his piece in half and took a bite. "What is there in this area to do for fun?"

"Well there's an arcade." Bite.

"Do you hang out there?" Bite.

"Well, I'm not much of a gamming kind of person." Bite. "But I've been there a few times. My sister likes to play ping pong there, so I bring her when my mom lets me."

Sip. "You sound kinda bitter when you say 'mom'."

"We're not really on the best terms. I think she wanted a girl, and she got stuck with me." Angel shrugged his shoulders. "But it's okay most of the time. Since my sister was born it got better. She has someone to do those girly things with that she couldn't do with me."

Collins too the last bite of his pizza and washed it down with the rest of his drink. "That sucks. What about you dad?"

"We're much better. He got the boy he wanted. Not the ball tossing boy most would want, but he's not the ball tossing type of dad, so it works."

"Well that's better." Collins and Angel tossed their trash in a garbage bin on the street corner. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What do _you_ do around here for fun?" Collins smiled at him and Angel could feel his heart flutter in his stomach.

"I… Umm… I hang out with my sister mostly. I have to watch her every night until eight, except Tuesdays when she gets out early, like today. I don't have time to do much of anything fun by my self."

They walked by a park and Collins stopped walking, looking into the park. It was deserted and the grass was over grown just a little bit. Angel turned back when he realized Collins was not longer walking beside him. "Whatchya looking at?" He didn't see anything all that interesting.

Collins looked from the over grown grass, then up to the sky. "I think it's gonna rain."

"What are you talking about?" I squinted up to look at the sky along with him. "It's gorgeous and sunny."

"Nah, come 'ere." Collins held Angels wrist as he pulled him into the park, sitting on a little bridge that went over a small spring, pulling Angel to sit beside him.

Angel gave him an uncertain smile after he didn't speak for a few minutes. "What now?"

Collins held a finger to his lips. "Just wait." They sat still for another few minutes, when the sun suddenly clouded over. Collins grinned from ear to ear. "Ready?"

"For what?"

"Three… Two… One…" At the exact moment Collins said one, thunder cracked and rain started to pour in buckets.

Angel jumped up and ran under a tree, trying to brush the water off his jacket, which was already soaked. He watched as Collins took another his time walking to meet Angel under the tree, where there was only a slight drizzle as apposed to the heavy downfall outside of the tree. Angel wiped his face with the inside of his jacket, thoroughly drying it off. "So, you enjoy a good down pour every now and then?" Angel did all he could to avert his eyes from the firm abs that Collins thin shirt was sticking to.

Collins shrugged and did nothing to dry off any part of himself. "Every now and then, ya. It's refreshing don't you think?" He stretched his arms over his head and looked back out to the bridge. Angel sucked in a breath as Collins shirt rose up over his abs, and when Collins looked back with a smirk, Angel looked down to his feet and covered his gasp with a cough. "You okay?" He lowered his arms and smirked at Angel.

"Ohh ya." Another fake cough. "I'm fine. Maybe just catching a cold or something."

"We should get you out of the rain then." He sounded generally concerned, his smile disappearing. It came back though when a leave fell above and a large water droplet landed on Angel's cheek. They both looked up as Collins chuckled and Angel gave him a mock glare.

"Here, let me." Collins wiped the droplet away from Angel's cheek with his thumb, letting his hand lay on there.

Angel's breath caught as they just looked at each other, Collins hand falling to Angel's chin. It was a minute before Angel stepped back sharply. "I need to get going." He looked over his shoulder and to his soaked clothes. "My mom's gonna flip."

He looked back up to Collins who was frowning slightly. "Angel, I…"

"I'll see you tomorrow." With that Angel took off and ran home, leaving Collins in the park under the tree.

Once Angel got home, he took his shoes and coat off on the porch before walking into the house. He had barely gotten into dry clothes and dried up the floor when his mom got to him.

"Angel!"

Angel flinched. "Yes mom?"

"What the hell is this mess?"

"I dried up the floor and everything mom."

"Well there is a pile of wet clothing lying on the bathroom floor. What the hell is that if not a mess?"

"I was just about to go put them in the drying. I figured you would want me to wipe up the floor in the hallway first."

"What I want is for you to not come home soaked and mess up my clean house."

It didn't really matter that Angel had been the one to clean the house in the first place. That he swept and mopped the hall every other day, that he didn't the laundry, or that he cleaned up after his mother cooked an amazing dinner. "I'm sorry mom. I'll dry off outside next time."

"Don't get lippy with me mister." She backhanded Angel on the cheek quickly, enough to make Angel flinch, but not hard enough to really hurt. And he was used to it anyway. "Next time you get attitude with my your grounded."

"Mamma!" They both turned to the living room, where Clara's voice was calling.

"Coming honey!" Their mother smiled, but her anger returned when she pointed to Angel, lowering her voice. "You best have that fucking mess picked up in ten minutes." She turned to join her daughter in the living room.

"Yes mom." Angel turned to finish up his cleaning rubbing his hand across his cheek, not thinking about his mother slapping him, but of Collins hand lingering there.


	5. Phone

Angel sat at the table with his little sister, playing monopoly. He tossed the die and moved past go, hi sister handing him $200 for the move. "We need to finish this game up. I need to finish cleaning the kitchen before mom gets home."

"I can help! I know _all_ about using the vacuum cleaner." She nodded enthusiastically.

Angel closed up the board game. "Well, why don't you put this back and then get your toys put away, and I'll clean up the kitchen, and then I'll let you use the vacuum." She jumped up and took the box to put away, then moved on to her Barbie's.

Angel had finished up cleaning the kitchen just as the phone rang, but before he could answer it, Clara lunged for it and grabbed it. "Hello?" She looked over in Angel's direction as his hands rose to his hips. "Yeah… No, he just has a cold… He played in the rain yesterday… No I took good care of him all day… Okay, just a minute." She smiled up at Angel and handed him the phone.

He covered the receiver. "Who is it?"

She just turned into the living room, shrugging. "Dunno."

Angel sighed heavily. As if he didn't know who was on the phone. Ha sat in the oversized arm chair, folding his legs under him and slowly lifted the phone to his ear, squeezing his eyes shut. "Hello?"

"Hey Angel, it's Collins."

"Hey! What's up?"

"Ohh nothing much… Missed you in school today is all." Angel could feel himself blushing. "Heard you were sick?"

Ohh ya! He was sick. He pretended to cough. "Ya, but it's okay. I'll be fine by tomorrow. No big deal."

"Look, I'm sorry about yesterday."

"For what?" Great he was sorry. You say sorry when you make a mistake, which meant that everything Angel had thought might have been flirting yesterday had been a mistake on his part.

"Just for… keeping you out in the rain and getting you sick. I didn't think it would get that bad."

"Really, I'm fine."

"You want me to bring you soup or something? You shouldn't have to cook for yourself when you're sick."

"No!" Angel lifted a hand to his cheek. He wasn't sick, but he had a faint burse on his cheek, so his mother had told him to stay home for the day, so long is he did a lot of extra cleaning. It wasn't a bad one, it would be gone by the time he woke up the next day. "Really I'm fine. My dad left money for pizza, so I don't have to cook."

"Ohh. Okay." Angel thought he had heard disappointment in his voice, but he could have just been being too hopeful. "I do hope you're better for school tomorrow. Art was deadly boring."

Angel chuckled on his end of the phone. "How's your project coming?"

"Ohh I dunno. I'm pretty happy with myself. I mean why would I want to change anything about me? I'm too hot for that right?"

Angel blushed again, and was very happy he called and didn't come over. "You actually want to me answer that?"

"Not if you have an answer against it. But if not, then sure!"

"Then I have nothing to say then." It just kind of fell out of his mouth. He didn't mean to just tell Collins that he was hot, if that was what it had sounded like, but he could hear Collins faint 'aww' in the background. "Hey, I have to go, my mom's gonna be home soon and I have a few things to do."

"Ohh… Well… I hope you feel better."

"Thanks."

"I'll see you in school tomorrow."

"You too. Bye."

Angel barely head him say goodbye as he quickly turned off the phone. He replaced the phone to its cradle and lifted his knees to his chin, resting his head on them for a moment. It was times like this he wished his father didn't work all the time. His father didn't tolerate anything like back hands and spankings when he was home, but that was only about two hours a day, and Mondays. And if he had been home yesterday, his mom wouldn't have slapped him, and he would have been in school that day.

He reluctantly slid off the arm chair and into the hall to grab coats. "Come on Clara. Let's go get our dinner."

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

Angel was again waiting for the bell ringing. He still couldn't figure out if Collins was for real. He seemed so comfortable with everything, but that was the problem really. Angel still didn't know where the line between being nice and comfortable, and flirting was. He had never flirted with anyone, and he was pretty sure nobody had ever flirted with him before. Either that or it went right over his head, which was entirely possible.

If it was just being nice, Angel didn't want to mess anything up. It would be nice to finally have a friend aside from his little sister. Not that monopoly every night wasn't great, but maybe to do something else every so often would be nice too.

But then if it was flirting, Angel didn't have a clue what to do. If it was flirting, then Angel thought he was somehow being rude, but he could tell. It was all too much for his sixteen year old brain to handle.

The bell rang and he moved on to art class, where Collins was already sitting at Angel's usual table, sketching away in a black sketch journal. Angel took a deep breath and joined Collins at the table. He didn't look up from his sketch until Angel sat down and looked over his shoulder. He smiled as is he had been sitting there forever. "Do you think this project counts if you don't change anything?"

Angel thought for a moment. "Well, I guess it defeats the purpose of the assignment. You really don't want to change _anything_?"

"Why should I? You already told me there was nothing you would change about me. That's good enough for me." He gave her a wide smile and went back to his sketch, sketch, which was wearing the exact same thing he had on at the moment.

Angel turned his face away from Collins, looking intently down at his sketch book with a slight frown. Collins looked back up and his smile disappeared when he saw Angel's frown. He placed his hand over Angels arm, and Angels eyes went just a bit wide, but he didn't look to Collins. "Hey I'm sorry. I was just messing with you." He offered a comforting smile.

Angel looked back up and arched an eyebrow defensively. "Really?"

Collins chuckled shortly and took his hand back. "No not really. I was dead serious, but if it's making you uncomfortable, it's a waste of effort at the moment."

Angel bit his lower lip. "I'm sorry. It's just not… And you're…" He trailed off, not really knowing what he was trying to say.

Collins laughed again, deeper this time. "S'ok Angel. It's only been three days after all. I can wait." He tilted back on his chair. "Got all the time in the world to wait."

Angel blushed again. Collins seemed to know him better than he knew himself. And okay, it was pretty clear now that he was flirting, or as far as Angel could tell. He was still just a little bit confused. But if Collins said there was all the time in the world to think about it, wait it out, then that was good enough for him.

He gave Collins a small, but whole hearted smile, and Collins returned it. "That's all I was asking for!" He gave Angel a discrete wink and went back to his project.


	6. Heat

This story is forever dedicated to Sir Gawain of Camelot and Donner Dummot Schunard, cause their reviews amuse the hell out of me… That's for the help and insight! 

It took a month before Angel was absolutely convinced that Collins was indeed flirting wit him. Sure, he should have figured that out the day they met, and one day looking back, he would see that, but he had spent a large amount of time convincing himself that Collins was just a nice guy, which he was, but more.

And even with how sweet and interesting, not to mention hot he was, Angel did all he could to fight Collins forwardness. Not that Angel wasn't incredibly interested, and returned the affection, but it's not like they didn't live in an entirely homophobic area. Angel didn't think it was still the kind of area where people would kill you for it though. After all, that was a long time ago, and times had changed, at least a little, but there were still people being beat up for it. Cars keyed, tires slashed, lockers graffitied, and Angel wasn't sure he could actually deal with some thing like that at this point in his life.

Angel closed up the book he had been working from in study hall as the bell rang and made his way to his locker. He had just gotten his book bag repacked when Collins came over, smiling as he lowered his voice. "Hey beautiful."

Collins said this to him every day after school, but that didn't ever stop Angel from rolling his eyes to keep the blush from his cheeks. He hit Collins playfully on the arm. "How many times have I told you to stop calling me that?"

Collins looked as if he was deep in thought. "Let's see. I've been here for thirty days today, and I started saying it to you four days in, not counting weekends or the one day your weren't in school last week makes it seventeen times." He looked back to Angel with a smug smile.

Another roll of the eyes. "Ohh your math skills astound me." He had to admit, when it came to computers and mathematics, Collins was along the lines of a genius.

"So Angel, this it our one month anniversary." He raised an eyebrow seductively and Angel couldn't help but smile back.

"And?

"Well, I think this calls for us going somewhere."

"Like where?"

"The movies maybe? Would your mom let you go?" Collins pretty much knew the system with Angel's mom. Not about her hitting him sometimes, but about how strict she was with him and all.

Angel nodded. "My dad's home for the week. He'll let me go." She gave him a cautious smile. "As friends' right?"

Collins smile wavered for only a moment. "Sure." He rolled his eyes playfully, making air quotes. "Friends." He walked backwards down the hall so that he could face Angel as they walked. "So. I'm picking you up at six, right? And we can get something to eat first"

"You know, you have a way of making friends going to a movie sound a lot like a date."

"Well tell me Angel, and you the kind of person who kisses on the first date?"

"But it's not a date right?" He always did his best to retort Collins comments rather than just blush and turn away.

"If you kiss on the first date it is." But his retorts were always better.

Angel's cheeks turned an evil shade of pink as he turned to see who was standing around them. "Collins, really, not in public."

"So in private?" He stopped walking, Angel stopping in front of him.

He gave Collins a somewhat desperate look. "Collins?"

He finally stopped smiling and frowned slightly. "Okay, I'll stop for now."

Angel smiled thankfully and hoisted his bag higher up onto his shoulders. "Thanks." He swerved around Collins in the hall, calling over his shoulder. "I'll see you later."

Collins was smiling at Angel's retreating back. "See ya Angel."

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

Angels mom and dad had decided to take Clara to Chuckie Cheese when they found out Angel wasn't going to be home, since his father knew Angel wouldn't want to go there. Clara had insisted that they go to her aunts for the night, another thing Angel didn't really want to do, but since Clara asked for it, of course their mother would do it. So they wouldn't even be back until the next day, but since that was a Saturday, who even knows. They left at five, which gave Angel an hour in the house alone before Collins came over.

Despite what he had told Collins, he was trying to consider what this 'going to the movies' really was. It was more than friends going out, that much was positive, but he wasn't sure it could be labeled a date either.

After showering, Angel got dressed, deciding on blue jeans, his black sneakers, and a black shirt with a red rose on the front. He had seen it in the mall and fell in love with it, but he had never worn it before, in public at least. Part of that was the rose, and part of it was because it was a bit tight on him. If he was the kind of boy who thought of himself as hot, then this was a shirt that made him look hot. He twirled around in front of the mirror, making sure he looked okay for this non-date and smiled at his reflection before grabbing a red zip up hoodie from his closet and zipping it over his shirt. There. Now he was more comfortable.

He sat on the oversized couch facing the door, waiting for Collins to show up. He was sitting there for only ten minutes when he did, which was twenty minutes early. Making sure the twenty dollars his father had given him was safely in his pocket, Angel jumped up to answer the door. His breath caught in his throat seeing Collins.

"Wow." He was wearing dark black jeans, a blue button up shirt, and an orange vest over it, with a black beanie on his head. "You look great."

Collins bowed. "Thank you. And you just… wow."

Angel suddenly realized that while he had been sitting in the arm chair, which was in front of the heater, he had taken his hoodie off and was now just wearing the tight rose shirt. "Ohh, I…" He looked over his shoulder at the chair where his coat now sat. He walked back into the house and walked to the chair. Collins followed him in and closed the door behind him. "So, you're early."

As Angel reached for his coat, Collins leaned forward and took it before him. "You know, it's kinda warm outside. I'm sure you'll be fine in just that."

Angel raised an eyebrow at him and uncomfortably folded his arms across his stomach, suddenly becoming aware of how he must look in that shirt. "I don't think I can wear this shirt around town. Sorry." He held out one hand for his jacket.

Collins smiled and started walking toward the door. "Don't worry, my grandma let me borrow the car. We're going to the next town over."

Angel followed him outside, locking the house behind them. "Why?"

"I just figured you'd be more comfortable, which it looks like I was right."

Angel sighed as he slid into the passenger seat, where Collins was holding the door open, and put on his seat belt. Collins slid into the driver's seat and pulled out of the driveway.

They drove in silence for a few minutes before Angel turned to Collins. "You don't make me uncomfortable Collins."

Collins looked from the road to Angel and back before a smile broke out on his face. "That's not what I meant Angel. But you grew up here. I didn't, so I could care less what everyone thought of me. But people have seen you the same way all your life. It's hard to just suddenly change that."

Angel nodded, but he knew it was just excuses. "But you know you don't right?"

He laughed softly. "Ya, I know."

"I'm actually more comfortable with you than anyone I can think of. Believe me, nobody else could get me to leave the house in this shirt."

They both laughed before Collins turned to Angel with a hopeful smile. "Just let me know if I'm wasting my time, okay?"

Angel nodded softly. "You're not."

Collins smiled and turned the radio, and it wasn't until he turned back to the road that Angel let a huge smile spread across his face.

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

After dinner, Collins and Angel sat side by side in the movie theatre, back row, with a large popcorn that Angel had insisted he paid for, since Collins paid for dinner, and the movie tickets. It wasn't a huge movie theatre, only two theatres in it, and at the moment, one was a horror flick, and the other was something with a talking animal, so they had opted for the horror one.

They were about halfway through the movie when something onscreen happened that caused Angel to shriek and hide his face in Collins shoulder, peaking out between his fingers. After a moment, Collins patted Angels arm. "It's okay to look now." Angel smiled gratefully at him, and Collins smiled back.

Angel settled back into his seat, pressed into the back. Another on screen incident and Angel flinched. Collins looked over to Angel, who had his eyes squeezed shut. He chuckled softly before sliding his hand over Angels. This, which Collins was thankful for, made Angel's entire body visibly relax. Without looking to Collins, Angel turned his palm face up and locked their fingers. They sat that way for the rest of the movie. It wasn't until the lights came back up that they mutually pulled their hands apart.

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

Angel and Collins sat in the car for a few minutes before Angel opened his door and got out. Collins did the same and they looked over the car at each other. Angel shifted his weight uncomfortable and looked to his feet before smiling up to Collins shyly. "Nobodies home if you wanted to come in for a few minutes." He shrugged, making very light of the offer.

Collins grinned and nodded. "Sure." After Angel unlocked the door, they walked into the kitchen while Angel quickly drank a glass of water. Collins held his hand clasped behind his back, looking around the incredibly clean room. "Nice house." Of course it was nice. Angel had had to clean the kitchen, living room, and bathroom before his mom would let him go with Collins. It was going to be that plus finish the laundry, dust the house and vacuum all the rooms, but his father had told his mother to take it easy on him, since Angel only had two hours to do it all.

Angel instantly washed out his glass, so his mom wouldn't flip in the morning, and put it away. "Thanks. I try to keep it clean." He laughed and shrugged. "It's like I'm holding up the house by my self."

Collins laughed with him and then turned to look around the other rooms. Once they were in the living room, Collins looked to the stack of board games in the corner. He nodded toward them. "You play a lot?"

"Everyday. My little sister's obsessed with Monopoly; we play that one almost every day."

Collins nodded and started looking over a row of pictures on the mantle, mostly of Clara and Angel, a few of various other people, but mostly Clara. "She's cute."

Angel smiled, walking over to stand beside Collins, looking at the pictures. "I'll be sure to tell her. But I think she already knows."

Collins picked up a picture of Clara and Angel together, playing on the swings at the park. "She has your smile."

"Well then she is truly blessed. I've always liked my smile." Sure, he was insecure about a lot of things, but not his smile. He knew he had a great one.

"Me too." Collins smiled at him, proving his point.

Angel nodded. "Yeah, you have a great smile too."

He laughed and shook his head. "No, I was still talking about yours."

"Ohh…" Angel looked to the floor again and Collins put the picture back, still looking at it. Angel looked up after a moment, taking a deep breath before quickly leaning up and kissing Collins on the cheek, before looking down again. "Thanks, Collins. For tonight. I had a lot of fun."

When he looked back up, he didn't have time to see anything, as his lips were instantly locked with Collins. At first, he didn't know how to react. Pull back or fall into it? It wasn't until he felt Collins' hands rest on at the small of his back that Angel forgot what he was thinking about and leaned up, wrapping his arms around Collins neck and pressing into the kiss.

After what seemed like an hour, Collins pulled away, pulling a small whimper from Angel. He chuckled softly and brought one hand from Angels back to his cheek, drawing a line over his jaw. They both just looked at each other for a moment before leaning toward each other for another kiss. They both kept their mouths open this time though, tongues exploring the others mouth. Collins lips were rough and gentle, his kiss strong and soft at the same time. He was sweet and salty, a mix of the sour patches and the popcorn. This was everything Angel figured a kiss should be like.

It wasn't until they were out of breath that Collins ran his hands up Angels back and rested them on either side of his face. They each waited until they would pass out from the lack of air to pull away. They looked at each other for a moment before Collins smiled. He kissed Angel once more softly on the lips, letting his fingers linger on the smaller boys cheeks as long as possible as he dropped his hands. Angel did the same, his fingers tracing down Collins chest in the process.

Collins took a step back with that huge smile on his face, and Angel couldn't help but blush. "I should get going. My grandma's gonna start to worry."

Angel returned the smile and let out a content sigh. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow?"

Collins nodded, pulling Angel in for one more kiss before making his way to the door. Angel waited until he heard his car pull away before moving any part of his body, which ended up melting onto the couch, barely covering with a blanket before he fell asleep in the living room.


	7. sad

I just wanna say thanks to everyone for the reviews… I think this is the most I've gotten for a single story this quickly… I'm really flattered by every 'awesome' and 'keep this going' I get… Thanks so much… 

Three and a half weeks now since the kiss. They weren't alone all that much. Ever since Angel had went to the movies with Collins, his mother had used that as an excuse to have him do even more work than usual, perhaps thinking that she was getting to lenient with him or something like that. Even after she came home from work and the house was clean, Angel was rarely allowed to go places, except on Thursdays when his father had been home. So his mother had taken to planning 'family' nights on Thursdays as a way to get Angel's father to agree for him to stay home. And Angel was getting very sick of it.

He pushed back in his seat on Thursday night, picking up the plates for dinner without being asked, knowing that if his mom had to ask, Angel would somehow end up looking ungrateful or something. She smiled up at him. "Thank you Angel." He waited until his back was to her before rolling his eyes. How could someone be so two faced just to keep their son in the house?

Angel cleaned the entire house every day, he always got all his school work done, he had never failed a test, class, or grade, he'd never had detention, he'd never gotten in trouble for messing up a neighbors garden or getting into things that weren't his. From the looks of it, Angel was pretty on the perfect side, so why did his mom have such a problem with him going out? He could understand if it was where he was going that was the problem, but since it was just an in general thing, he didn't get it at all.

By the time he was done cleaning up the kitchen, it was six, and his parents and sister were in the living watching a movie. He stood in the door way for a moment, smiling at them, wishing he could be a part of that happy family, but he didn't see that happening.

He jumped a bit when the phone rang. Without even looking up, his mother waved her hand. "Could you get that Angel?"

He nodded and went to the phone, lifting it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hey Angel."

He couldn't help the smile that spread over his face as he settled into the over sized arm chair by the phone. "Hey Collins. What's up?"

"Absolutely nothing here. You? Suffering family night?"

"Mmhmm. They're all watching some movie with a doll as the main character. Not something I really want to do."

"So leave."

Angel laughed, right, like he could just get up and leave. That wasn't an entirely stupid idea. "Are you kidding me?"

"Well, okay, don't just leave, but… come help me with my history project."

Angel thought for a moment. That one might work, since his dad was home. He would let him go help a friend with school stuff. "Hold on a minute. I'll ask." Angel set the receiver down and walked back to the living room. "Hey dad?"

His dad looked up with a smile, while his mother looked annoyed with the distraction. "What's up son?"

Angel tried to avoid him mother's eyes. "I was wondering, do you think I could go to Collins to help him with a history project?"

His mother answered first. "Do you have this project?"

"Ya, but I finished yesterday and already handed it in." There, now she couldn't ask to see it for proof.

His dad seemed satisfied. "I don't see why not."

But his mother didn't like that. "But it's family night."

His father just gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Ohh, we're just watching movies that Clara picked out. I'm sure Angel's not interested in these movies."

Before his mom could say anything else, Angel smiled gratefully. "Thanks! I'll see you later."

He heard his mother yell 'You'd better not be home too late' as he picked up the phone again.

"What did they say?"

"Oddly enough, yes."

"Really?" He didn't quite sound like he believed him.

"Mmhmm. I'll be over in a little bit."

Collins used his most seductive voice. "I'll be waiting."

Angel laughed as he hung up the phone. He ran upstairs quickly to grab his jacket, and when he came back down stairs, his mother was standing in front of the door. Her hands were on her hips. "Why did you need to go upstairs to get clothes? You're not staying there."

He gave her an odd look. "I just got a jacket mom."

"Where are your books? You said you were helping him with school work."

"He has his." He tied his jacket around his waist.

"I don't like how much time you spend with this boy."

"What are talking about?"

"When ever you're not home, you're with him. I don't think it's healthy."

"I'm –always- home mom. He moved here four months ago. I've gone places with him twice, he's been here once, and I've been to his house twice. That's barely anything."

"Don't get sassy with my mister. It's not like I even know this boy."

"Then get to know him. You never let me have him over, otherwise you might." Angel was doing his very best to keep all of the attitude from his voice. It was better to look bored and uninterested with him mom than annoyed and 'sassy'.

"Keep up this attitude and I'm not going to let you go over there tonight."

Angel took a step back, not backing down from his mother, but not wanting to get hit either. "He needs help. We're just doing homework."

"That better be all you're doing."

"What?"

"I just don't like him. I think he's a bad influence on you and he's taking your mind off of more important things like school and…"

Angel didn't like her tone, and as wrong as he knew it was, he couldn't take her. He cut her off. "And cleaning up the kitchen after –you- cook? And watching Clara every night while –you- stay at the office late? Things like that mom?"

Before he even knew what happened, his mother lifted her hand and slapped him, -hard- across the left cheek. Much harder than the last time. It was already turning red and he knew that there was going to be a dark bruise.

He looked up at his mom shocked, but she didn't look like she would take back her action with even a sympathetic frown. If anything she looked smugger now.

"What are you doing!" They both turned quickly when they heard Angel's fathers' voice from behind them, and his mother paled a few shades. His father took a step toward him reaching out his hand. "Angel I'm so…"

But Angel took the opportunity of his mother not paying attention to him to get out. He flung the door open and ran until he reached the corner, not paying attention to his father reopening the door and calling to him.

Once Angel reached the corner, he stopped and doubled over, trying to catch his breath, and keep himself from crying. It was a moment before he straightened back up, wiping away that he had been unable to keep in. Touching his face, a jolt of pain ran through him and straight to his stomach, making him want to vomit. He pulled on his jacket and pulled up the hood, hiding the side of his face that was already starting to darken against his cheek and jaw.

After two minutes he got to Collins house, and looked at the door from the porch. He didn't know what to do. The last thing he wanted was to pour all his problems onto someone else, but he also had a selfish desire for Collins to just hold him. Angel looked over his shoulder, where Collins grandmother's car was sitting. Ohh great. So Collins wouldn't be able to hold him either way. He sucked in a breath and pulled off his hood, planning to simply play it down, and knocked on the door softly.

It was another moment before a smiling Collins answered the door, laughing about something that must have happened before he opened the door. But his smile instantly disappeared the moment he saw Angel.

Angel laughed softly. "Wow, that's not normally the reaction I get from you."

Collins shook his head, taking Angel's hand and pulling him into the house, closing the door behind him. Collins hand came to Angel's cheek, but he winced and pulled away, trying to keep on his smile. "Angel what the hell happened?"

"Ohh this?" Play stupid… right… "I was tossing the basketball with my sister and she threw it a bit too hard. It's okay, I'm fine."

"Angel, don't give me that. I'm literally watching this thing turn into a bruise; you didn't get it from your sister." He laid his other hand on Angel's non injured cheek. Angel shrugged and didn't even realize that a tear was slipping down his cheek until he felt. "Your mom?"

Angel now felt another few tears slip down his cheek as he nodded. Collins leaned in and kissed each of his tears away before pressing his forehead against Angel's. He shuddered a bit it as he cried.

Angel pulled back suddenly when he saw Collins grandma come into the room out the corner of his eyes. His eyes widened as he looked from Collins, to his grandma to the floor. His arms tightened a bit as Collins slipped an arm around him "Hey Grandma, this is Angel." The last time Angel went to Collins, his grandmother hadn't been home.

Angel looked up with a sheepish smile, and was almost shocked to see that she was smiling sweetly at him. She reached out and pulled him into a hug. It's so nice to finally meet you Angel. I've heard –so- much about you."

Angel was barely able to return the hug he was in such shock. "Umm… Thanks? You too." When he was let go, Collins arm was back around his waist. "You... umm…"

Collins laughed deep in his throat. "Ya. It's okay. She knows."

Angel couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. This was one less person he and Collins would have to hide from. He gave her a grateful smile. "Nice to meet you."

But she wasn't paying attention any longer. She was looking over Angel's cheek. "Ohh honey. That doesn't look good."

"No, I'm fine really. It doesn't even hurt anymore." To prove a point, Collins touched the tip of his finger to Angel's cheek, causing him to flinch and hit Collins on the arm. "Hey!"

"We need to get you some ice. Come 'ere." She took Angel's arm and pulled him to the freezer. "We'll get you all fixed up."

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

After an hour, a cup of tea, and a bag of ice, Angel and Collins were sitting in Collins room. Collins was sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed, and Angel was lying on the bed facing him, the bag of ice balanced on his cheek.

"So what are you gonna do?"

Angel looked absolutely torn up. "I dunno. What time is it anyway?" He was so incredibly tired, it must be at least midnight.

Collins looked over his shoulder at a clocked on the nightstand. "Almost eight thirty."

Angel began to sit up. "I need to get going then. I'm not supposed to be out after nine."

Collins stood up quickly and put his hands on Angel's shoulders. "Wooh. I don't think so."

Angel plopped back onto the bed, looking up at Collins. "What are you talking about? I need to go home."

"I'm not letting you go home tonight, especially by your self."

Angel let his head fall in front of him. "Collins… You don't understand."

He knelt in front of Angel, taking his hands in his own. "What baby? What do I have wrong? It's obviously not very safe for you to be, and I'm being the good boyfriend by not letting you walk into harm right?"

Angel looked back up and he was crying again. Silent tears. "It's how it's always been Collins. It's how it always will be. There's nothing I can do about it." He leaned in to kiss Collins softly before standing up. "I do need to go though."

"Angel, that's…"

"I'll see you tomorrow Collins." Angel cut him off before he could say anything all too true. He walked quickly out of Collins house and back home, not wanting to get into any trouble.


	8. held high

The next day in school, Angel's cheek was an even darker shade of blue, but the huge smile on his face diverted much of Collins attention from it. He was standing by Angel's locker waiting for him, anxious to see how the night had gone, and as Angel joined him at the locker, something about his smile made Collins want to lean down and kiss him. He didn't though, since Angel was still very touchy about doing things in public, so he settled for just smiling back as Angel opened his locker. "So, I take it the night went well?"

"Ohh god ya." He shoved his books into his locker. "When I got home, my dad was sitting in the kitchen with me mom, and I didn't want to interrupt them, so I listened from the hallway. And my dad was saying something about my mom treating me wrong, and that if she did it again, he wouldn't be able to be with her anymore, and that I'm not staying home with her for awhile, so I have to watch Clara until six when mom gets home and then I get to leave."

"What did your mom say?"

Angel bit his lip, but he still looked happy. "Well at first she said something about who was gonna clean and all that, but I'll still be home, so I can still help with all that, and my dad said something about how he'll start helping around more, and my mom will have to put in an effort too. She did not seem that happy about that, and she said something about toughening me up, 'cause I was too girly' or something. And my dad said that in that case maybe having my cook and play dolls with a seven year old everyday wasn't the best way to help with that. And she said something about me hanging out with you too much, and she didn't like the vibe she got from you. And my dad asked her what kind of vibe, and she said something along the lines of fags and not having one in her house…" Collins opened his mouth to say something, but Angel placed his fingers over Collins lips to stop him. "And my dad said 'so what? As long as he's happy, I could care less who caused it'."

Collins jaw dropped as he looked at Angel, who looked as if he was about to burst. He couldn't help it. Angel was the cutest thing in the world at the moment, and Collins couldn't help but lean down and kiss him, right there in the hallway. He pulled away, getting ready for Angel to look around and make sure that no one had seen them, but Angel was still smiling.

Since they had started dating, Angel still didn't like to do much in public, and normally ignored anything Collins did in public. They only kissed when alone in the halls, only held hands when everyone else was far out of site. But the hall was full at the moment, and Angel didn't pull away or look to make sure no one had seen.

He just nodded happily. "Isn't it great! I don't have to deal with my bitchy mom anymore!"

They both looked from one another as someone stopped in the hall and yelled 'fags'. Angel went pale, and for a moment, Collins wondered if it had just been that Angel had been to excited before to realize that what Collins had done was in public. Angel took a deep breath, making a face as if he was about to say something, then looked desperately to Collins.

All he could do was shrug sympathetically. He turned to the small group who had gathered in the hall. "You know what? Mind your own fucking business." Angel turned to face his locker again, grabbed his book bag and ran to the bathroom. Collins tried to call after him, but Angel didn't turn around.

One of the taller, more built guys in the group sneered. "Better run after your boyfriend huh?"

Collins smirked. After where he had grown up, this was nothing new. It would probably make more sense if he told Angel about that, but they never seemed to talk about their pasts. They talked about what they were going to do in the future, together; because the time they had spent apart seems like such a waste it was best if forgotten. He crossed his arms and smiled coolly. "Jealous?"

"Of what?" Okay, that had obviously gone right over his head.

"Me… Angel?" He raised an eyebrow suggestively at the boy, who just looked confused, before it finally hit him and he stepped back, disgusted.

"Fucking sick is what it is." He tried to look threateningly at Collins, but he only looked a bit constipated. "You best keep that shit out of this town."

Collins rolled his eyes. "Uhuh, any other requests?" The boy gave him the finger and as he walked off, the group that was around him also scattered, throwing insults over their shoulders. He shrugged again and headed off toward the bathroom. He opened the door and instantly heard sobbing. There was no one else in the bathroom, since all the stalls were open, so Collins just locked the door behind him and walked to the last stall, knocking softly. "Angel?"

The quality of his voice didn't give away that he was crying, but it shook just at the end. "I'm fine Collins." It sounded like he was doing something in there. There were zippers, and books being dropped onto the tiles. "So, umm, after my mom gets home today, you think I can come by your house for a few hours 'til my dad gets home?" Zip, rustle.

Collins was very curious as to what was going on behind the door. "Definitely. My Grandma really liked you."

"She was great; I liked her a lot too." Rustle, zip, rustle, crinkle, zip. "And thanks."

""Baby, what are you doing in there?"

There was a small sniffle, and then Angel blew his nose. "Don't worry about it." He kicked his book bag out from under the stall. "Take that, okay? I'll be just a minute."

Collins picked up the book bag and threw it over his shoulder. He waited for a few minutes before Angel opened the stall door. A huge smile came over his face as he looked his boyfriend over. "You sure about this Ang?"

Angel smiled confidentially. "Hell ya." He was wearing his black and red rose shirt, and a pair of jeans that Collins had never seen. They hung low on his waist and had sparkly patches working up the side. He had on a silver necklace, as well as several rings on both hands. Any redness he had in his eyes from crying was gone, and though bruised, it was the most beautiful face Collins had ever seen. Angel held his arms up over his head, and Collins couldn't help but look at the bare stomach that this caused, causing Angel to blush slightly. "What do you think?"

Collins responded by dropping the book bag and pinning Angel to the wall of the bathroom, his hands holding tightly to the smaller boys' waist. Angel's arms were up around Collins neck in a matter of seconds. They kissed for a few minutes before they broke off and Collins looked to his watch. "You know, first period ends in ten minutes. You wanna just stay here and do this?"

Angel smiled sweetly and nodded, bringing his lips back to Collins'.

AVAVAVAVAVAVA

They both pulled away, startled when the bell rang. That time had gone really fast. Collins pulled his hand back from under the back of Angel's shirt with a smirk, and when Angel unhooked his fingers from the loops in Collins jeans, for the first time in their relationship, instead of blushing, he smirked back.

Collins stared after Angel, the smirk still on his face, as Angel pulled away, grabbed his book bag, and walked to the door, looking back to Collins. "What?"

Collins just shrugged, walking over to join Angel at the door, unlocking it. "Nothing. I just like the side of you that this shirt brings out. We should get you more of them." He pushed the door open and he and Angel walked out.

Angel kept his eyes on the ground as the walked for just a moment, but he could just sense all the people looking at him. He was invisible in the crowd before, and now he was impossible to miss. People sneered, people called him names as they walked in the hall. When he finally looked up, frowning again, looking like he just might cry, Collins smiled and slid his hand into Angels, interlocking their fingers, and squeezing lightly. Angel lifted his chin a bit, smiling widely as he squeezed Collins hand back.


	9. Secret

Sir Gawain of Camelot… I love you! You keep this story going, really, you do… And the jeans were in the book bag, which is why there was the zipping and book rustling sounds coming from the stall… And thanks for the name for Collins grandma… And Cha-Cha makes my day, so that works too! I need to buy that on DVD so I can screen cap it… I only have the tape… 

Angel's smile was waning only slightly by the end of the day. He had been tripped, but Collins caught his arm, so he didn't fall, someone pushed all this things off his dest at one point, and then made rude comments when he bent to pick them up, and he could totally see someone having spray painted his locker if normal people kept spray paint in their locker. But luckily no, that hadn't happened.

He pushed his books into his bag and quickly made his way to the door, hoping to be out of the room and to his locker before anyone could get in his way. And it wasn't until he was half way there that someone did.

"Hey!"

Angel stopped, pulling his book bag from the hand it was in so that it was up on his shoulders, and turned, looking utterly pissed with his hip cocked to the side, one hand resting impatiently on it. "Ya?"

Someone that Angel didn't know by name, but that he could identify as someone on the baseball team from the jacket, was standing there, looking more like he just wanted to start a fight than as if he were actually offended by Angel's life style choices. "Where'd you get those clothes? Your mom?"

He rolled his eyes at the half assed attempt at an insult. "You know, I really don't have time for this. I need to get home to watch my sister, I've had enough for one day, and honestly, I don't care what you think of me, what I wear, or who I choose to kiss, so we'll do this tomorrow, okay? Write that down." He flashed a smile and turned on his heels, leaving the boy behind him.

"Don't think this is over faggot!"

Angel called over his shoulder. "Wouldn't dream of it!" He could vaguely hear the boy call him a fairy, but he just rolled his eyes again, walking the rest of the way to his locker.

After Angel got his stuff packed, he decided to meet Collins at his locker, since it was always the other way around. Collins was just closing up his locker, taking a book out of it, which Angel found odd since Collins never had homework, what with his three last periods of the day being study halls. Angel came up behind him and took the book from him, reading the cover. "Hmm… Learning how to rewire computers huh?" He raised an eyebrow at Collins, who shrugged and took the book back. "Seems like that could get you in trouble, if you ask me."

"Ya well if it did, I could so get out of it without trouble." He smiled and winked at Angel. "I'm very good with my words."

Angel rolled his eyes again. "Ohh ya. You have a way." He hit Collins softly on the arm. "Now come on, I gotta get back to Clara. She can't even get into the house until I get home with the keys."

They walked together outside the school. "You want me to walk you home?"

"Nah, it's okay. I don't think my mom will be all that happy with me brining you home, dressed like this…" He motioned down to his shirt and jeans. "…the next day. Why don't we give it a few?"

"Ya okay. So does that mean you're inviting me over to meet your parents?"

"You've met my mom… kinda… for a minute."

They got to the corner where they would have to part ways in order to each get home, and each stopped to finish their talk. "But I didn't get introduced to them. Let alone as your boyfriend." He took Angel's hands and smiled sweetly, cocking his head to the side a bit.

"One step at a time okay Collins? Just give me time." He cocked his head to mock Collins. "I remember you saying something about having all the time in the world?"

"Well, ya, there's that. And this…" He leaned down and kissed Angel softly, holding his forehead against the smaller boys, breathing out softly.

Angel stayed there for a moment, before squeezing Collins hands and pulling back. "Ya, we got this. But _they_ can know about _this_ another day, okay? Promise." He turned away, turning back only fir a moment to blow Collins a kiss before making his way home.

Collins watched Angel walk away until he turned the corner and was out of site. It wasn't until that moment that Collins let himself chuckle softly and make his own way home.

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

Angel waited until he heard his mom pull into the driveway to pull his jacket back on. "Why are you putting your jacket on? I like your shirt today."

Angel turned to lift his sister into a hug. "That's Honey." He set her down and knelt down in front of her, holding a finger to his lips. "But you can't tell Mom about my shirt okay?"

"We have a secret!" She clapped her hands in front of her, and Angel couldn't help but smile at the enthusiasm.

"Ya we do, so don't tell mom okay?"

She nodded and zipped her lips with her fingers, tossing away the keys. "I won't." As the front door opened and their mother came in, Angel stood up and Clara bounced off into the living room.

Angel tightened his jacket around him and walked past his mother and out the door, his lips set in a frown. He muttered a small 'see you later' and made his way to Collins.

His mother called from the porch. "Your father gets home at eight. You best be here at the same time."

Angel nodded without turning around and quickly walked the rest of the way to Collins, knocking softly on the door. His grandmother answered the door, instantly pulling Angel into a hug. "Angel! It's so nice to see you again!" She let go of Angel and pulled him into the house, closing the door behind him. "Would you like something to eat? Or some tea?" She walked into the kitchen, pulling out things to make tea before Angel even answered.

"No thanks Ms. Collins." Angel sat down at the kitchen table.

But she kept making the sandwich. "Ohh now, Ms. Collins is far too formal for family."

Angel smiled to himself. This was so much different from his family. His own grandma didn't even like to be called grandma. "Abuelita?"

She turned around, setting the turkey sandwich in front of Angel. "Ohh now that has a nice ring to it.

Like Angel had said, he wasn't really hungry, but she was looking at him expectantly, so he lifted half the sandwich, taking a bite with a small smile. "Mmmm." She turned away with a satisfied smile and began putting the bread and turkey away. Angel set it down. Not that it wasn't good, but he just wasn't hungry. "Do you know where Collins is?"

"He's fixing the clock in the living room. He took it apart for parts yesterday, and I told him if he didn't put it back together, he was buying me a new one."

Right on cue, Collins walked into the kitchen, kissing Angel on the forehead before sitting down beside him. "What I was making would have been way cooler than a clock."

"Well, I don't think a tracking devise for a dog collar would have told me when my shows started."

Angel couldn't help but laugh as he pushed his sandwich toward Collins. "You don't have a dog."

"Well that's cause my grandma says I would lose it." He gave his grandma a pointed glare. "That's why I was making a tracking devise for it."

"Make it out of something other than my two hundred dollar oak clock."

Collins rolled his eyes, taking a bite of the sandwich. "Don't worry, I fixed it."

"It better be." Ms. Collins turned away, pulling the now empty place off the table. "Now the two of you get out of my kitchen. Go get some fresh air, it's nice outside. I don't want you indoors all night."

Angel and Collins exchanged a glance, standing up slowly. "Are you kicking us out of the house?"

She shooed them both toward the door. "I'm just saying get fresh air. Don't you go making me sound like some kind of monster for it. It's healthy." She pushed them out the door and closed it behind them.

They stood on the porch for a moment, looking at the door. "Well that was odd."

Collins shrugged. "Not really, she does it kinda often when the weather's nice. I tend to spend a lot of time in my room reading or messing with computers, so if it was nice out, she would kick me out of the house." He took Angels hand and walked off the porch, sitting on the steps, pulling Angel down beside him.

"Well… What do we do now?"

"Umm… I normally go to the library, or I go buy electronics or something. I don't suppose you're a big fan of Radio Shack?"

Angel gave Collins an 'ohh please' look. "Not in the slightest. But shopping I like." He smiled sweetly at Collins, squeezing his hand.

Collins raised an eyebrow. "Like for clothing?"

"Ya! I've got some money. And any ways, you said you liked the side of me these clothes bring out. Maybe I should get more of them."

"You know, on second thought, I like this plan."

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

After Collins asked to borrow the car from his grandma, which took a bit of convincing, since she said driving didn't count as getting fresh air, they drove a few towns over to the mall. They walked around for about twenty minutes, letting Collins buy some cheap clock to take apart before making their way over to a clothing store. In all honesty, Collins seemed to be more into the choosing process than Angel was. Angel was still a bit uncomfortable with this. Not that the clothes weren't great, and that he could actually buy them, unlike his mother buying him clothes, but he was still self conscious. With every shirt Angel picked up, Collins was standing over his shoulder, telling him what he thought of it. And Angel usually responded with something along the lines of 'ohh ya, like I could pull that off" or "Are you kidding me?". Simple as that.

Collins finally rolled his eyes, after the tenth shirt was unnecessarily returned to the rack. "Angel, would you stop it? You already know you're the hottest thing here." This time Angel rolled his eyes, causing Collins to hit him softly on the arm softly. "Stop that. You are!"

Angel smiled thankfully. "Okay fine. I'll get a few… Happy?" He turned from Collins and picked up a few of the shirts that he had put back along the way, turning only to stick his tongue out at Collins before moving to the changing room.

Angel shut and locked the door behind him, before pulling off his own jacket and shirt, looking in the mirror for a moment before pulling on one of the three shirts he had grabbed. It was white and had a print of the earth. Really simple, but Angel already loved it. He pulled that one off and pulled on the next, a green one with a sparkly blue star on it. He repeated the process a few times, eventually finding three shirts he liked.

As Angel tried on the shirts, Collins took a seat on a nearby bench, waiting about ten minutes for Angel to come back out. When he did, placing a pile of shirts on that tray they keep outside of the dressing room for all the clothes that aren't good enough, Collins sat back up, looking at the three shirts Angel was still holding. "See? I told you that you would find some."

Angel rolled his eyes jokingly. "Mmhmm." With a smile, he leaned up and kissed Collins quickly. They were in a bigger city at the moment, so it probably wasn't as odd an occurrence for a boy to kiss a boy (gasp!) but they still attracted a few looks, and Angel just smiled at the people, even sticking his tongue out at the few who seemed disgusted. He slipped his free hand into Collins' and pulled him toward the cash register counter, setting his shirts down happily.

From the look on the cashiers face, you could tell she found it odd that two teenage boys were buying shirts from the girls section, but she was either too polite, or too scared to say anything about it, which both boys were a bit grateful for. No words were exchanged but the price until Angel took the bag from her hand with a brilliant smile and "Thanks!" Sliding his hand back into Collins', Angel pulled Collins from the store and back to the car, smiling to himself. As little as buying shirts seemed, Angel felt like he had taken a huge step.

I know it's kinda short, but I felt like this was a good end for the chapter… 


	10. Disney

Sorry this took forever! I had Mack Trial (big fake trial thing with all the schools competing...) But that's over now, so I can work on fic some more! WHOOT And a note… I've lost track of the time line I've had going on, sooo… Let's just say Collins has been going to Angel's school for 6 months, and they've been dating for five, and they've been out in school for about half a month… And also, I know nothing about Kants Universal Laws, so if I screwed something up, ohh well… 

It had been two weeks since that first day in school. Angel had worn each of his shirts twice, which his mother still didn't know about. It really did help that Angel did the laundry and not his mother, so no need for her to find out at the moment. His sister had also proved to be very good at keeping secrets. Not once had she let it slip to anyone, their mother of father, and the once that Collins had been over, she had been very careful not to say anything in front of him, until Angel said it was okay, but only in front of Collins.

Clara had taken an instant liking to Collins, immediately showing him her collection of dolls, board games, and Disney movies. That was about four days ago, when their mother had had to work late one night, and Collins and Angel had homework to do, Angel's father had said he could come over for a few hours, but, for Angel's sake, to try to have him out of the house before his mother got home. Collins had come over, they had quickly done their work, played clue with Clara, and all sat in the living room to watch Beauty and the Beast, Clara insisting to sit between the two.

Ever since that day, Clara had been asking when Collins would come over again. So Angel had decided to have him come over again, if only for a little while, since their mother would be home at five that night.

Once the door bell rang, Clara was the first off the couch and to the door, throwing it open and dragging Collins in before Angel even had time to get up and press pause on the Little Mermaid. Again, Clara was very smart for her age, and Collins didn't talk to her like a seven year old, he talked to her like the twelve year old her head was. They would talk about everything from Barbie dolls to the weather to philosophy, which was mainly Collins telling her theories and her contradicting them, or agreeing, depending on the mood she was in.

They were in the middle of one of these conversations, something about the morals of Kant's universal law, which lost Angel about ten minutes, but after forty five minutes Clara was following strong, bickering here and there when Collins came to something controversial, when their mother came home, and setting her bag on the counter. Clara and Collins both shut up and Collins took a step away from Angel, only to change his mind and move back, looking from Angel, to his mother, to the floor.

His mother didn't look all together unpleasant, but if you knew her well enough, you could tell she was a bit pissed at the current situation. "What have I told you about having people over during the week Angel?" Not that that made a difference. She didn't like him having people over ever, week or weekend.

Angel was about to say that he was just leaving, but it was Clara who spoke up. "I told him to come over!"

Their mothers eyes narrowed as she looked at Collins. "Why's that?"

"He's really smart! And he knows all the Disney movies by heart! We were watching the Little Mermaid, and I was Ariel, and he sang all the Sebastian parts and it was lots of fun!" Angel was almost shocked at her ability to go from the girl who understood Kants Universal Laws, to the girl that knew nothing more than Disney lyrics and colorcoding her dolls shoes and belts. She would be very good at getting her way when she was older.

Their mother smiled, mainly to appease her daughter and she lifted her into a hug. "That sounds great baby! Why don't you go into the living room and pick up your toys?" She set Clara down, who winked at Angel quickly as she skipped out of the kitchen and to the living room.

Once she was out of the room, Angel's mothers arms were crossed over her chest. "Angel? Care to explain why someone is over when I specifically told you not during the week?"

"Would it matter if it was the weekend mom? He wouldn't be able to come over then either."

She looked as if she was about to back hand him for giving her attitude, but not in front of others. That would come later. But instead, she looked to Collins. "I don't want you in this house again." Back to Angel. "Understood?"

Angel just scoffed and grabbed his coat off the back of the chair, throwing it on as he glared at his mom. "And why's that mom? Because now that I have a friend, and I'm happy once in awhile, and actually have other things to do rather than clean up the house every day, you just can't stand it?"

Again, she looked like she was about to back hand him. "I just don't want some fag in my house." It was funny that before Angels started realising he was gay, he never knew his mother was homophobic.

"Well get over it, cause you've got one!" With that, Angel turned quickly, grabbing Collins hand and pulling him with him out of the house, leaving his mother gaping in the kitchen. Sure, she had obviously had suspisions about her utterly femenine son, but to hear the words, she couldn't even respond.

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

Angel sat on the bench at the park, breathing heavy in shock of his own actions as Collins attempted to comfortingly rub his back, but to no avail. They were in the same park that they had been in during the storm, and again, like it always was, it was deserted. It had in a way become their own private spot. It was barely a park, just the creek with the bridge over it, a crooked bench, and two swings. It was never mowed, and there was a park with a jungle gym three blocks away, so it wasn't really a shock that no one was ever there, which made it all the better.

Angel sucked in a deep breath, leaning against the back of the bench and covering his eyes with his hands. "Ohh god ohh god. What did I just do? Ohh god."

"Baby calm down, you're gonna hyperventilate." Collins continued rubbing soothing circles on his back, but Angel snapped his hands down.

"How can you say calm down! Don't you know my mom well enough be now to know that I'm gonna get kicked out of the house or something?"

"Your dad would never let that happen, you know it."

"Well, my dad's going away on business for a week Thursday. That's gonna be seven days at my mothers wrath. Do you know how bad this can get Collins?... You have no idea at all." He looked back to the ground, falling against Collins chest, who wrapped his arms around the smaller boy protectively. "Ohh god."

"Angel, if your mother trys to touch you, or know you can always come to me. My grandma would be more than willing to let you stay with us while your dad is away."

"I really couldn't ask you to do that. And I'll have to face my mom sometime." Angel stood up and looked to the road, Collins following shortly after.

"What, now?"

Angel twirled around, eyebrows raised in shock. "Are you –crazy-? No not now. My mom would –kill- me. I'm got to at least wait until my dad is home." Angel nodded to himself. "But ya, tonight I'm gonna have to." Angel sat back down on the bench, and Collins slowly sat behind him, pulling him toward his own chest again.

Collins kissed the top of Angels head softly. "It's gonna be okay babe." They sat in silence for a moment, before Collins started humming softly. After a few minutes, the humming turned into 'sha la la la la la'. It was another moment before Collins sang softly in Angel's ear. "Don't be scared, you got the mood prepared."

Angel laughed softly and turned to face Collins, joining him in the final line. "Go on and kiss the girl." They exchanged a smile before bringing their lips together softly.

And sorry it's so short… My mind is in ten places right now… ugh… 


	11. Why?

Another long since late chapter… I'm sorry… I'm just… Everywhere at the moment… if you're ever in the mood to offer support, or talk me out of this funk and offer ideas, didaverseend.. that's me… And is anyone else totally psyched about X3! 

Angel didn't go home that night until he was sure his father would be home. He and Collins had stayed at the park all that time, talking, looking at the clouds, making out… Things like that. Collins had made Angel let him walk him home, even though Angel didn't think it was the best idea, but they had settled on Collins walking him to the nearest corner. After a quick kiss, Angel walked home, and saw his father sitting on the porch. He put his hands in his pockets and walked up the steps, looking at his dad until his lips cocked into a small smile.

His father stood up and walked in front of him, facing him for a few minutes with no real emotion on his face, before pulling Angel into a huge hug. It took a moment for Angel to react and return the hug. "Dad?"

His father didn't pull away, but lifted his hand to the top of Angel's head, ruffling his hair a bit. "I never wanted it to be like this son."

Angel squeezed his dad a bit, sniffling to hold back his tears. "I know that daddy. I don't blame you for any of it you know."

He finally pulled away, but left his hands on Angel's shoulders. "I shouldn't have let it get this bad. I should have done something about it when I first found out it was going on."

Angel nodded. He was right, something should have been done, but his father was his life line, so he would never let any of the blame fall on him.

His father winced a bit when he saw his son nodd, only because he knew it was all too true. "I'm taking tomorrow out of work. You wanna do something?" His father had never been god with apologies, or showing love in a very fatherly way, but he did care, and he did what he could. And he –never- took time out from work unless he was sick, so Angel knew how much of a step forward this was in him trying to be an active part of his life.

Angel nodded again and hugged his father. This would be great. It was a Saturday, one where Angel would have been home all day alone with his mother and sister. "Ya. That'd be great dad."

After his father pulled away again, ruffeling his hair one more, they walked back into the house. "I think I need to have a talk with your mother. Why don't you go help Clara get ready for bed?"

Angel looked around the living room quickly. "I can't. I have to finish my chores first. I kinda… Left in a huff today and didn't get much done." He bit his lip and looked up at his father, who raised an amused eyebrow at him.

"Ya, I heard about that."

"You heard?" Angel was wondering exactly what he had heard about it. The reason for it in particular.

"All of it, and don't worry, I can do the vacuuming." He squeezed Angel's shoulder. "Now go help your sister."

Angel smiled and ran up the stairs to help his sister and read her a story. Was his father saying don't worry about the chores or the finding out his son was gay. Either way, his reaction was pretty much a relief.

After his sister was in bed, Angel sat on his bed attempting to understand some math homework that was proving to not want to get done. He should ask his father for help. He wasn't all that sure what he did, but he knew that it had something to do with numbers, so chances are he would understand it a bit better than Angel did. Collins usually helped him with the number work, but it was too late to call him at the moment.

He looked to the clock on the table beside his bed. Close to midnight. He should be in bed by now, but if this work didn't get done, he would forget about it until Sunday night, and that would be even worse. He finally decided to get up and ask his dad, since he knew he wasn't sleeping yet, and walked down the stairs that lead to the kitchen.

"That's not the point Nathanial! Don't you care about our child! He's going to get teased, beat up, harassed!"

"So what have you been doing? Preparing him for it?"

Angel stopped on the stairs, sitting on the steps. It always astounded him how in a fight, it was always his mother who yelled, and his fathers voice could stay perfectly calm. He closed his book on his lap and pressed his ear against the wall toward the kitchen, so that he could hear his father. His mother he could hear fine without pressing against the wall.

"That was a little harsh don't you think?"

"I think it's a little harsh to hit your child because of who they love."

"I'm not telling him who to love! I'm telling him who not to love."

"Why do you care! It's not you who has to be with them. Let him be happy!"

"Because I know how hard it's going to be for him! My brother was gay, remember? The one who was mysteriously beaten to death right after walking home with his boyfriend."

"I know that Alej. I'm not trying to… I don't know, but you can still let your son have his chance because of what happened to your brother."

Angel had to pull away from the wall for a moment when he heard his mother start crying. He had never seen this side of her before. He never heard of an uncle on his mother's side either. But he did remember when he was very young, his mother playing with him, and singing to him, and loving him. It all seemed to change by the time he was four though, and he didn't remember much good after that. He listened to his father comfort his mother for a minute before deciding to go back to his room. He wasn't all that sure how to take what hed just happened. He didn't want to talk to his mom, but he almost felt like he had to. Maybe in the morning. For now he had to just sleep. He went back to his room and quickly changed, pulling the covers up as tightly as he could against his neck, trying to get warm even in the late spring heat.

It was only a few minutes after closing his eyes that he head his door open up. He didn't open his eyes, hoping who ever it was would let him get his sleep. There was too much that had gone on that day to think about to stay awake any longer. But he knew that wasn't going to happen when he felt who ever it was sit on the edge of his bed and run their fingers through his hair. He opened one eye and stiffened slightly, sitting up slowly. "Mom?"

She pulled him into her arms and started crying again. "I'm so… sorry Angel! I'm… sooo sorry." Her words were broken up by sobs.

Angel wrapped his arms around her, but he wasn't going to tell her that it was okay. "Don't worry mom, I'm fine."

"No Angel. It's not your fault. I never should have taken it out on you. I really do love you Angel. I'm so sorry!" She squeezed him tighter.

Despite his desire not to give in to her, he squeezed her back. "It's okay mamma. I love you too."

VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAV

Angel woke up the next morning at ten. His mother must have turned off his clock and let him sleep in. But the time he got up and was dressed, in a black shirt with Music Life on it in lime green and his sparkly jeans, and went down stairs, his mother and sister weren't there and his father was watching the news in the living room. He figured since they both knew he was gay now, he may as well wear what he wanted.

He walked into the living room and his father turned off the TV, looking him up and down with a blank look before looking back to his face with a smile. "Get a good nights sleep?"

He breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. "Ya." He plopped down on the couch. "Why did you let me sleep so late?"

"I figured after yesterday you might need it."

"Well thanks."

"No problem. So where do you want to go today?"

Angel closed his eyes for a minute and thought about it. "Umm… the book store."

He opened his eyes in time to see his father raise an eyebrow at him. "Really? Since when do you like book stores?"

"I dunno. But there has to be something there I'll like don't you think? And Collins' and Clara's birthdays are both coming up, and they both like to read, so maybe I can find them something there."

"Ohh, so –you- don't want to go to the book store, you want to buy presents at the book store." Angel shrugged and laughed a bit. "Where do –you- want to go Angel?"

Angel rolled his eyes. "Well if you're gonna put it that way… You really wanna know where I wanna go?"

He nodded with a very serious face. "Just tell me. I can handle it." He laughed as Angel threw a pillow at him.

"I want to go clothes shopping." It was his turn to raise an eyebrow at his father, waiting to see his reaction.

But it was nothing out of the norm. He just nodded and stood up, pulling his keys out of his pocket. "Do you have a favorite store or something?" He turned and started walking out the door, and Angel had to run to catch up with him.

"Seriously! You're fine with this? With me?"

His father stopped walking and turned to Angel with a sigh and a smile. "It's who you are Angel. Trying to argue with it is a waste of time. As long as you're happy, I could care less." With another smile, he turned and got into the drivers side of his car, with Angel slipping into the passengers side. He started the car and pulled out of the drive way. "So, any favorite store?"

"Anywhere is good. Just shopping." They drove with the radio for a few minutes before Angel sat back in his seat and turned to his dad. "So… Mom had a brother?"

His father looked to his hands for a moment before turning off the radio. "How much did you hear?"

"He was killed for being gay." He nodded. "Who was he? Aside from being gay?"

"His name was Angel."

Angel's eyes widened. "Ya?"

"Ya. You were named after him. He died when you were four. And you just look a lot like him. You act like him too… Your mother really does love you Angel. But nothing hurt her more than her brother dying, and you're just so much like him. And he was killed for being gay. She doesn't want that happening to you."

They were silent again, until they came to the mall. His father turned to him and smiled. "I know you don't have to, and it's totally up to you, but just –try- to give her another chance?"

Angel nodded and they both got out of the car. His father threw his arm around Angel's shoulder and they walked inside. Whether it was guilt or just bonding, Angel came home with five new shirts, three new pairs of jeans, a new pair of shoes, and all sorts of other non clothing things that he had seen and liked.


	12. Hate

**chaosgoddesseris (7:55:37 PM): UPDATE THATS THE ONE!**

**OverTheMoooooooN (8:35:11 PM): brb**

**OverTheMoooooooN (8:35:12 PM) has left the room.**

**AngelxCollins (8:35:36 PM): leaves you a message for when you get back LOVEYOU.**

**Froggiesrcool77 (9:05:07 PM): Louvampyer, author of That's The One, and other stories.**

**chaosgoddesseris (9:05:19 PM): WHICH SHALL BE UPDATED SOON RIGHT?**

** Blame them for the speed I typed this up in and there for how crappy it is…**

AN: Some of the events of this chapter were stolen from the original script for the Rent Movie, even though the timing is a bit off for it, I know… And I just want to remind everyone that this is not a PreRent story, it is an AU… Keep that in mind…

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

Angel's mother had let up quite a bit since that night when she apologized. At the moment, Angel, Collins, and Clara were sitting in the living room working on homework, or playing with dolls.

Angel looked over her shoulder and hit Collins's leg. "Hey, how many combinations of six can you get from 50?"

Collins was silent for a moment. "15,890…700. Why don't you just use your calculator?"

"It's dead. And why would I do that when I have a boyfriend who can do it in his head?" He turned around and kissed Collins quickly. "And anyways, you're cute when you have to think hard about something."

Collins scoffed playfully. "Well if it takes thinking to make this relationship going it's not gonna work. Being brain dead has its advantages."

Angel scoffed and looked to Clara. "No it doesn't."

But she just rolled her eyes and went back to her dolls. "Right Angel." She really liked Collins and tended to just go along with whatever he pointed out. If she didn't know that Angel and Collins were an everything, Angel was pretty sure that Clara would have a crush on him.

Angel shot Collins a glare but he just laughed deep in his throat and shrugged, pushing his work off his lap and leaning his head back on the couch. "Aww come on Miss. Angel. You know it's easier to just get by without really working hard."

Angel hit Collins again just as his mother came home. Collins stood up and grabbed his books, and Angel just shook his head. Ture, it had gotten better, for Angel at least. But his mom still didn't really want Collins over, or her son to be gay for that matter, and Collins still couldn't look at her without disgust, so it was pretty uneasy. He leaned to where Angel was sitting and gave him a quick kiss. "I'm gonna get going. See you tomorrow in school?"

Despite his disappointment, he smiled and nodded. "Ya, see ya."

Clara also made sure to jump up and give him a hug, and walking right past Angel's mom, Collins left the house.

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

Angel normally saw Collins third period, but it wasn't until lunch that he finally saw him the next day. He was sitting on the steps in the middle of the school yard eating an apple when a very tired looking Collins plopped down beside him. "You look very un-rested."

Collins nodded and shaded his eyes from the June sun. His eyes looked tired, but her had a smile that said 'I know something you don't know'. "…What'd you do?"

Collins laughed and grabbed Angel's wrist. "Wait for it." After checking Angel's watch, Collins let go of his wrist and lay back on the steps. "We have ten minutes to go."

"To go till what?… Collins, what did you do!" But Angel could tell by the look of Collins face that he wasn't going to be telling his.

Collins just looked up at Angel from under his hand and placed his hand on his knee. "Don't worry babe. Just you wait."

Angel was about to pressure him into admitting what he had done when they heard someone call to them from across the lunch yard. "Let's keep that shit in private queers!"

He looked up to see a boy about their age that he knew from history but had never actually talked to glaring at them with a group of buddies sitting around him, tossing an apple from his lunch into the air and catching it again. Angel looked down to Collins hand on his knee, then to Collins, who remained as calm as ever.

He just chuckled and shook his head. "Why don't you mind your own business?" The boy across the yard pointed his glare at Collins and chucked the apple hard at his head, only to have it caught inches before hitting his head. Collins chuckled again and wiped the apple on the leg of his jeans and took a bite.

The boy turned his glare to his friends as they started laughing at him, but he just sat down in a huff, glaring every so often at Angel and Collins.

Angel looked to Collins with his eyes a bit wider. He gave him a questioning look. "What?... Ohh, want a bite?"

He smiled and gave Collins a quick kiss. "You're awesome you know that?"

"Cause I caught that apple?"

"You just are. I stink at standing up to people and you just do it like it's normal for people to do these things."

He shrugged. "I'm used to it."

"How are you used to it?"

Collins took a deep breath and tossed the apple core into a nearby barrel and looked to Angel, letting out the breath in a sigh. "Angel, I…."

But he was cut off when Wild Thing came over the loud speakers. Collins broke into a wide smile when every one in the yard looked up and laughed, trying to figure out how the music was playing. Their school would never do such a thing.

Angel looked to his watch. Ten minutes had passed. "Collins! What did you do!"

He laughed and shrugged, and probably would have told him if it hadn't been for the principal instantly standing over them. "Thomas Collins. Would you please come with me?"

Collins nodded and stood up, letting go of Angel's hand. "See ya later Ang."

The principal waked a step behind Collins as Angel watched them walk toward the office.

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

Angel didn't see Collins for the rest of the day, not even after school, which was an oddity in it's self. He made his way to Collins after school, since his mom was home with Clara. He stopped on the porch when he heard yelling coming from inside. It didn't sound like Collins though, or his grandmother, so he just stood there for a moment, not wanting to interrupt.

"Collins, you can't start this up again! It's not fair to us, or your grandmother."

"I'm sorry! Okay? I apologized, and I said I'd pay them back! What more do you want me to do!"

"I want you to give up this radical need to stand apart from everyone phase."

"George, calm down."

"No mother, this has been going on for three years. When is he going to learn that he can't get by if he keeps pulling this shit?"

"Language!"

"Sorry Mother, but really!"

"God dad, you figure that maybe I'm not trying to stand out? Maybe this is just who I am?"

"No Collins, this isn't who you are. The son of a Republican lawyer and a military general is not a gay anarchist."

"Enough! George, I don't care if he's your son or not! You do not speak that way in my home!"

"So that's what you think dad? I'm a gay anarchist just to spite my parents fancy lives? Well my parents don't give a shit about me, so why the fuck should I care how I fit into their lives! Look! They send me half way around the globe at the first sound of trouble!"

"Thomas, watch your mouth."

"Sorry Gran, but really! If it weren't for you, where would I be, huh dad? Where would you have sent me if Gran wasn't willing to take me in?"

There was silence for a few minutes, and Angel considered walking away, but still he stood there.

"That's what I thought. I mean, all this crap happens and mom doesn't even come."

"Thomas, that's only because she had…"

"Something better to do! Something official and correct and political and not to do with her queer son! I mean, you wouldn't even have come if you weren't in a conference for the week an hour away! You're here because it was a convenient chance for you to tell me again what I screw up I am."

Angel no longer felt it was appropriate to listen, so he turned and sat on the bottom step of the porch. He really had nothing to do, so he tied and retied his shoes. It was about ten minutes before everything sounded like it had calmed down enough for Angel to feel comfortable enough to knock, which he did three times before Abuelita answered.

"Angel!" She pulled Angel into the customary 'welcome' hug. "It's so nice to see you! I feel like it's been weeks!"

Angel laughed as he was let go. "I ate dinner here two days ago Abuelita!"

"Ohh I know that, but I only have Tommy to keep me company, and he can be awful dull." She lowered her voice with a small smile for the last part. "But I'm sure you know that right Angel?"

Angel smiled and nodded. "Ohh believe me, I know."

"Fine, talk about me like I'm not in the room!" Angel turned when he heard Collins ever present laugh, remember for the first time since Abuelita's hug that there were other people in the room.

"Hey Collins." Angel and Collins smiled widely at each other, but didn't move toward each other, since who Angel was now guessing was Collins father was standing between them, looking awfully tall and foreboding him military attire with lots of pins and medals. Angel nodded at him once and his smile wavered a bit. "Hi. I like your pins."

He nodded once in return and looked to Collins, raising an eyebrow. Collins waited for him to turn around before sticking his tongue out at his father. "Dad, this is Angel. Angel, this is General Collins." He said 'general' in a very mocking tone.

His father stuck out his hand, in a very official manner. "George is fine." It didn't sound like he really meant that, but Angel smiled and took his hand none the less.

"Nice to meet you."

He didn't talk much, but simply nodded again.

There was silence for a moment before Abuelita took Angel's hand. "Why don't you come with me to the living room for a few minutes while Collins and his father finish argueing out their manliness?"

Angel nodded and walked with her to the living room, high fiving Collins as they passed behind him.

Abuelita closed the door as Angel sat on the couch, joining her a moment after. "So that's Collins dad."

"Yeah, menacing isn't he?"

Angel laughed. It was so comfortable here. "Yeah. Is everything gonna be okay?"

"Eventually. Did Collins tell you what he did?" Angel shook his head. "Ohh, well he rewired the school computers to play wild thing over the speakers, and ever time they tried to turn it off it sent ten cents to the United Negro College Fund." Even though she was trying to sound like it was a bad thing, they both broke into laughter a moment later. "But that bad thing is now he owes the school seven hundred dollars. He finally turned it off when he realized that he would have to pay them back." She let out a content sigh. "I'm so proud of my boy sometimes."

"It doesn't sound like his father is." Angel looked to the door, trying to make out what they were saying.

"Well, it's not so much that. But Thomas's parents are very… official. By the book, where as Thomas likes to make the book into paper airplanes." How perfectly stated. "They don't approve of his life style, which is why he's here actually."

"What did he do that set them off""

"Ohh… Well dear, I think I'll just let Collins tell you that when he's ready." He took Angel's hand again and pat it twice, the same way Collins did when he was trying to comfort her. Angel looked from Abuelita to the door again, her eyes just a bit wider.

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

Once the door closed, Collins looked to his father with a smug smile, which he returned with a pointed glare. "Who was that?"

"Angel."

"Yes Thomas, I got that part, don't be a wise ass. Who is he?"

"Ohh don't play dumb dad, who do you think he is?"

"He seems… young."

"Don't worry dad, he's only a year younger. I wouldn't date a child." Collins scoffed at the insinuation his father seemed to me making.

"That's not what I was implying. He just seems…"

"So you –don't- like my taste in my boyfriend? Wow, there's a shocker."

His father let out a tired sigh. "Thomas, I can't believe you're still…"

Collins cut him off sharply. "…gay?"

"Not exactly what I was thinking, but you have a point." He pulled out a chair from the table and sat down. "I thought we sent you hear to get over this phase. After all that crap with Roger…"

"Don't bring him up dad! Why do you always have to go there!"

"Wasn't he the start of all this?"

Collins laughed. "The start of my gay anarchist ways?"

His father shook his head and rested his head in his palm. "Thomas, stop talking like I'm mocking you." Collins calmed his laugh and nodded once, mocking his father in the movement, but he didn't seem to catch it. "I just don't understand you Thomas."

"Well maybe that's for the better. Would life be nearly as interesting if all your kids were like Tasha?"

His father couldn't help but chuckle. "It would be a hell of a lot easier, that's for sure."

"Well dad, I'm sorry, but I'm not like you, and I'm not going to try to be like you. I've left the past in the past, where you told me too, and I'm moving on with my life. Not changing it, just moving on. And don't think I didn't catch the way you said you sent me here to straighten me out. That wasn't all about catching the science room on fire."

"Thomas…"

"Dad, I'm not talking about it anymore. Deal with the fact that I'm your son. Either accept it, or ignore it, but don't try to change it."

His father nodded once. "Fine Thomas. I'll deal with it. Don't think it's not going to take your mother and I time though."

"I'm not looking for anything from mom. She had me, her obligation is done."

"You know that's not what your mother means by anything."

Collins stared at his father blankly for a moment. "Dad, when you decided to send me to Grans, she wanted to get me shock treatment."

"I would have never let her go through with it."

"Which is why I tolerate you." Collins rolled his eyes playfully as his father reached out and ruffed his hair.

"I believe there's tolerating on both sides son."

They were both silent for a few moments before Collins looked up to his dad. "So we're back to our comfort zone?"

His father smiled. "For now… how long you think this one will last?"

"Well, it's been six months since the last one, and three since the one before that, so they're getting longer. I'd say… a year at least."

"Well, I look forward to the next argument." He reached out his hand and they shook.

"But dad, you gotta get some new material to gripe about. This 'gay anarchist' fight is getting old."

"Agreed. I'll find some new complaints about you."

"Deal."


	13. Falling

**AN: You know what sucks? I've had this written out for over a month, and I just didn't feel like typing it all out… Sorry!**

**Disclaimer: Still not mine…**

**Laurel Ducky: hangs head in shame I'm sorry… and thanks for pushing… it really does work!**

**Kikyo93 sniffle Do I still get cookies?**

**TheSilverbow: NO! Don't be sad! I'm sorry! You really were awesome motivation! **

Angel stayed at Collins house for dinner that night, talking a bit with his dad, who Angel found, when he wasn't talking about his son as gay or an anarchist was actually pretty cool. He actually seemed kind of proud of Collins in other aspects. He was much looser and more open, and he had the same laugh as Collins.

After dinner, when Collins's dad was helping Abuelita with the dishes, Collins and Angel went up to his room to talk. Collins flopped down on the bed and Angel hopped up on the end of the bed, sitting cross legged. He looked over Collins as he closed his eyes and threw a pillow over his head, letting out a low grumble into it.

Angel lifted the side of the pillow and kissed Collins on the tip of his nose. "You okay?" He tilted his head to the side, almost sympathetically.

"Ya, I'm fine Ang. This is all normal." He sat up, sitting cross legged across from Angel. "So don't worry about me kay Angel babe?"

Angel nodded slowly, but didn't really think Collins was fine. Something was bugging him. He was looking at the wall on the side of his bed and picking at a loose strand of fabric from his dark jeans. "Collins?" He looked to him with a dazed expression. "Do you wanna talk to me about something?"

He let out a heavy sigh and scooted back in his seat a little. "Remember today when you asked me how I was so used to the gay bashing?" Angel nodded, but didn't speak so that Collins could continue. "That's cause that's all I got at home. Everyday. And this was before I even had a boyfriend, or you know, came out, so it was all assumptions. And then on top of that I was doing all sorts of crap like reassembling the principals' car on the roof, small crap like that, but still getting in trouble."

"So then, at the beginning of this past year before I moved here, when I was still in Santa Fe, a new guy named Roger came to our school. He was a trouble maker, like me, so we pretty much hit it off."

"So one day, Roger and I were in the back of the school, coming up with some grand prank. And we were bored and couldn't think of anything, so we decided to just let the frogs out before the dissection that afternoon, so we snuck into the science lab, let them out, and on our way out, Roger knocked over some chemicals, and we caught the science lab on fire. Totally on accident! But when it comes to trouble makers, who really believes that something like that was an accident?"

Angel nodded and his eyes went a bit wide. "What happened?"

"Well… Me and Roger ran. Probably not the best idea now that I think of it, but we did. And we hid in my room, since both my parents were out. And so, we were sitting in my room, and Roger asked me if I was gay, out of no where. And I told him probably. Then, out of curiosity, I asked him if he was. And he said probably not. So we were talking for a bit and we started kissing." He looked up to see Angel's expression, find out if it was okay to continue. Angel nodded and smiled. "So we started kissing. It was just kind of a 'see what I feel' kind of thing. We concluded that I was gay, and Roger was not. Which was all fine, but while we were kissing, my dad came home, and we didn't hear him, so he stormed to my room to tell me that he got a call from the school and blah blah blah, and he saw us kissing. That was all we were doing, really, but I don't know."

"My dad did that whole 'silence' thing before blowing up, but my mom, being the bitch that she is, called Roger's mom and dad. His dad beat the shit out of him and then sent him to military school in Massachusetts, so I didn't even see him again. My mom wanted to give me shock treatment, snap the gay out of me or something, but my dad wouldn't let her, so instead, I was sent here, away from the school I grew up in, not that I had many friends, but still. But as you know, Grans is great, so I'm better off here. I think I'm doing better anyway." He grabbed Angel's hand and offered a smile.

Angel returned the smile and squeezed his hand. "I like you better here…. So what happened about setting the building on fire?"

Collins laughed. "Well… I convinced them that it was an accident, so insurance covered a lot of it. My dad had to buy new chemicals and crap, and I had to pay for a new batch of frogs."

Angel laughed with Collins. "That's it?" Collins nodded. "That seems like a very small punishment for setting a building on fire."

Collins leaned back, resting his head on his hands with a cocky grin across his face. "Well what can I say? I'm good at getting what I want."

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

(Let's say this is a week later)

Angel did a twirl in the hall, drumming his hands on his hips in time with the music pumping out of his ear phones. Upon landing, Angel felt a small bump against his arm and opened his eyes to see the boy he had bumped into. He offered an apologetic smile and pulled off his ear phones. "Sorry 'bout that." He turned on his heels to continue down the hall when the boy called to him.

"What the fuck was that for fag?"

Angel looked down the hall quickly before looking back to the bigger and obviously stronger boy. "Look, it was an accident. Sorry, won't happen again."

But the boy didn't seem to hear what he was saying. "You think just because you got yourself a big tough boyfriend, you can touch any guys you want?"

He paused for a moment. Collins was still on suspense from the 'Wild Thing' incident, until he paid all the money back. "Don't you think the fact that I have a boy friend would mean I would want to touch fewer boys?"

But the badly placed humor was lost as the boy advanced quickly, grabbing Angel's arm and knocking him into the wall. His head hit the brick with a thud. "Listen to me…" he lowered his voice and snarled in Angel's ear. "… We don't need your fucking shit around here fairy."

Angel's free hand went to rub the back of his head soothingly. He let out a soft grunt when the boys grip on his arm tightened. "It's Angel." The boys eyes flicked with curiosity for only a moment. "Not fairy… Angel." With as much force as he could muster, Angel punched his right fist into the boys nose, just enough to make the boy stumble back and loose his grip on Angel's arm.

A thin trickle of blood fell from the boys nose, which was wiped away in a state of shock. "You're. Dead."

Angel didn't waste a moment in taking off down the hall. See? This was why he didn't like to stay after school. It was so much less safe when all the teachers went home. And all to grab Collins stupid homework that he wouldn't do any way.

Angel had made it just outside the building, in the back when the boy caught up with him, grabbing his arm and spinning him around, swiftly punching him quickly square across the jaw. Before Angel even had time to register what had happened, he was pressed up against the wall again, one of the boys hands holding him there, pressed against his chest just below his neck, the other bunched up in his shirt at his hip, pushing it up slightly so that his knuckles were digging into Angel's skin.

His eyes widened in shock and he lifted his hands to the boys shoulders to push him off. "What the hell are you doing!" But he was shoved back into the wall so hard he saw spots. The boy opened his hand around Angel's hip under his shirt so tightly Angel was sure he would have bruises in the morning. He felt hot tears burning his cheeks, and he wasn't sure if it was from his swollen jaw, the hand on his bruising his hip that fell just below the waist band of his jeans, though thankfully staying at his hip, or from the hot breath hissing in his ear.

"I swear to god, you fucking queer, try anything in this school again, anything, and I'll make sure you remember how much I hurt you. Got it?" He dug his nails into Angel hip again, for good measure.

He nodded and dropped to his knees as the other boy pulled away. He let out a bitter laugh and the boy stopped in his tracks to look back at him. "I guess what they say about homophobia is true, huh?"

Angel passed out after only the second kick to his ribs.

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

Collins was finally back in school four days later, and worried out of his mind. He hadn't heard from Angel for two days, which doesn't seem like a long time, but when Angel said he was going to call, or come over, he did. Collins had tried calling him, but Angel's mother said something about that couldn't come to the phone and had hung up on him. And the first day he came back to school, Angel hadn't been there, which only worried him more.

At the beginning of the day, Collins made his way to Angel's locker to wait for him. He was there for nearly ten minutes, and the hall was clearing out. He was just about to give up and go to his first class when he heard a slight shuffling and turned to see Angel.

Angel's cheek was still dark blue, and even on that warm June day, he was wearing a heavy red zip up jacket and loose fitting kaki pants. One arm hung to his side as his other dragged his book bag at his side, not slung over his hunched shoulders.

Collins dropped his books and ran over to him. "Angel? What the hell happened?" He took Angel's bag from him and walked slowly with him to his locker.

"I was a smart ass and got myself beat up." Angel smiled weakly. Collins was speechless, and Angel cut him off from anything he was about to say with a sob. "My mom said this is exactly what she was afraid of."

"What are you talking about?" Collins shook his head, not wanting to think about what Angel was saying.

"_This_ Collins!" He motioned to himself, flinging his arm into the air, but hissed as his face contorted in pain.

"There's no way someone beating you up was your fault Angel. You mom can't blame you for that."

"I'm really sorry." He was crying harder now, not looking up to Collins, but to the floor and the tears fell from his face.

The bell was about to ring, and everyone was running to their classes, so nobody paid any attention, but Collins stood there, his own face contorting in confusion. He placed a hand on Angel's arm, only to have it shrugged off. But the shrug made Angel wince, his sobs coming even harder now. "Angel… You're sorry?"

Angel nodded, wiping his tears away, careful not to touch his bruised cheek or jaw. "I'm so… I'm so sorry Collins."

"Angel?" Collins voice was starting to shake as he tried to get Angel to look at him.

"Please Collins? Don't make this any harder. Please?" Angel finally looked up, his expression so painful, so desperate and pleading, that Collins couldn't even move for a moment.

"What are you saying?"

"I can't see you anymore."

Collins sucked in a breath and looked as if he had been punched in the stomach. "What are you talking about?"

"My mom thinks you're bad for me."

"Angel, you know that that's total shit! Why the hell would you listen to your mother!"

Angel was sobbing again. "Collins, I have three broken fingers, a dislocated shoulder, two bruised ribs, and I can't feel the right side of my face. I… I can't handle my mom get… getting mad at me on top of… on top of this." He looked up to Collins. "I can't be with you, friends or otherwise." He looked from Collins eyes to his lips, and to his hands. "I'm sorry."

With his good hand, he took his bag back from Collins, and turned to walk down the hall, but Collins grabbed his good arm, turning him around, pulling him into a passionate kiss. Collins was almost sure Angel was going to pull away, and for a moment, he didn't return the kiss, but after that moment, the bag fell from his fingers and his arm wrapped around Collins neck. He pushed back into the kiss, maybe even harder than Collins was, causing him to take a step back not to be knocked over. When Angel pulled away, he pressed his forehead against Collins', placing half a dozen small kisses in the corner of Collins mouth. After the small kisses, Angel pulled the rest of the way away, picked up his bag again and just walked away down the empty hall, three minutes after the bell rang, his bag dragging on the floor behind him.

Angel wasn't in art class that day. Chances are he was in the nurses' office. Collins didn't get any work done that day.


	14. Park

**AN: Okay, I'm gonna try to work on this more, and maybe finish it up… Though I don't have a clue where it's going yet…. **

Angel sunk into depression. He didn't answer Collins phone calls, or come out when he visited, and it was tearing his heart open. He buried all the clothes he had gotten with Collins and his father in the back of his closet and went back to wearing over sized jeans and ordinary tee shirts. His body had healed, though it still hurt when he turned his arm certain ways. School was over two weeks again, and honestly, this was nothing like the summer Angel had been hoping for. He had spent the last two weeks of school avoiding Collins, which was especially hard in art class, since they had assigned seats together, but Angel got very good at not looking up or talking. It didn't help that he was still madly in love with Collins, but Angel's mother made sure to tell him every day how much better this would be for him. He could see where his mother was coming from, but that didn't make it any easier for him to accept it.

He sat on the porch with Clara, playing Clue. It was too hot to be indoors, since the AC was broken. He had planned on bringing Clara to the park, but the repair man was coming to fix it between noon and three, so they had to stay home, since both their parents were at work.

Clara picked up her score sheet and looked at the pieces on the board. "It was Mr. Green, in the kitchen, with the lead pipe." She smiled proudly as she pulled the winning cards out from the case file, and Angel couldn't help but smile again. The only times he smiled lately were with Clara. She had an infectious smile. "You're not having fun are you?"

"What?" Angel shook his head. "No, I am. I was just thinking…"

Clara leaned back against the porch rail, pulling her pony tail out and re tying it on top of her head. "About Collins?"

Sometimes Clara being so perceptive was amazing, other times it was just annoying. "I don't want to talk about it Clara."

"He called yesterday you know. Mom answered and hung up on him. Why don't you call him back?"

"I can't, mom doesn't want me to."

"So? I do all sorts of stuff mama doesn't want me to."

Angel raised an eyebrow at his little sister curiously. "Like what?"

She shook her head. "We're talking about _you_ here Angel. Let's stay on topic. You've been acting depressed for weeks, and it's starting to depress me. Just call him and say you're sorry for what ever you did."

"It's not that simple Clara."

"Make it that simple." Leave it to the seven year old to think every think could be solved with a cute 'I'm sorry'.

Angel rolled his eyes and was about to end the conversation when someone carrying a duffle bag started walking up their drive way. He was wearing army print pants, heavy boots, and a black tank top. His short blonde hair was spiked up at odd angles, and his green eyes were piercing even with the length of the drive way between them. "Can I help you?"

"Uhh ya. You Angel?"

Angel nodded. "Ya, and you are?"

"I'm looking for Collins."

Angel stiffened up a bit and Clara laughed behind her hand. "He's not here."

"Ya, but I was asking around town, and no one seems to know his address, but they pointed me here. Said you could point me in the right direction?" He brushed his hand through his short hair, shifting his weight and his duffle bag.

"Williams street." Angel pointed down the road. "That way."

The boy looked down the road. "You think you could be a bit more specific?"

Angel was about to reply when the truck for the repair man pulled in. He looked to the boy still standing in the drive way. "Just a minute."

After twenty minutes of Angel showing the repair man where the AC was, and waiting while he fixed it and gave Angel a bill to take on his mother's board, Angel made his way back outside, where Clara and the boy looking for Collins had started a new game of Clue.

Clara looked back up at Angel. "He done?" Angel nodded. "So we can go to the park now?"

"I don't know."

"But the park is just past Collins house. We can show Roger the way."

Angel's eyes widened a bit as she looked to the boy on the porch. "You're Roger?"

Roger nodded. "I'm guessing by your tone Collins told you about me?"

"You came up, just a bit. You're the reason he moved here?"

Roger laughed shortly. "I guess so." Angel wasn't sure if that was something that made him want the punch Roger, or hug him.

"So can we show Roger to Collins? We haven't seen him in forever!" Angel rolled her eyes. Clara went back to being the cute little oblivious girl so many people thought she was. "Please?"

"Fine, we'll show Roger, but we're not staying."

It was Clara's turn to roll her eyes. Roger looked between the siblings. "Okay, I just wanted directions. Am I upsetting some tipsy balance here?"

Yes. "No, let's just go." Angel grabbed Clara's hand and they started down the road. He didn't bother leaving a note for his mom, since she wouldn't be home for another four hours. They walked in silence, aside from Roger whistling some song Angel was pretty sure he didn't know.

Once they came to Collins's street, Angel sucked in a deep breath. He normally went the other way to the part, just to avoid walking past Collins's house, but that was too far out of the way now. Clara looked up to Angel and squeezed his hand comfortingly. With a small smile in return, they started down the street. Once they were in front of Collins's house, Angel stopped on the side walk and pointed to the building. "It's that one."

Roger nodded. "Thanks so much." He offered Angel a huge smile and flung his bag off his shoulder as he bound up the steps, knocking loudly.

"Come on Clara." Angel pulled at his sister's arm, but she didn't move. "I told you, we're not here to see Collins!"

Clara stared intently at the door, not moving until Collins opened it and she was sure he had seen her. "Fine, we can go."

A loud greeting was exchanged on the porch, but as Collins hugged Roger, he saw Angel and Clara walking away down the street. "Angel! Wait!" Collins skipped five steps on the porch as he jumped off to catch up with Angel, grabbing her arm. "Wait up."

Angel looked to the ground, kicking a rock. "I need to go." He turned again, but Collins jumped in front of him, walking back wards ahead of him.

"Come on Angel, you haven't talked to me in nearly a month… Please?"

"Not right now, I need to go." Angel tried once again to push past him, but this time Collins grabbed his shoulders and Angel's eyes snapped up to Collins, looking him in the eye for the first time since breaking up with him. He cocked his head to the side, looking Collins over, his eyes and his smile, as if he had forgotten Collins smile.

That alone made Angel smile too, and Collins took that as a good sign. He took his chances on leaning down and kissing Angel softly.

It was a good while before Angel pulled away, looking back to the ground and walking past Collins, taking Clara's hand again.

Collins let out a deep sigh, calling after Angel. "I love you Angel!"

Angel didn't turn around, but Clara did. "Believe me, he loves you too!"

That was enough to put the smile back on Collins face. Clara was very trust worthy with that kind of stuff. Roger jumped off the porch, standing beside Collins and following his eye sight to where Angel was turning the corner. "What's up with that?"

"I don't think I really know."

"So that's Angel?"

"That's Angel."


End file.
